Alex Carey

As inaugural captain of the Greater Western Sydney Giants on their road towards inclusion in the Australian Football League, Alex Carey appeared to be a talent lost to cricket. But the fade of his Australian football career around his 20th birthday left him to fall back on the other sport that had competed for his junior attention, starting a road to becoming Australia's wicketkeeper across formats and also a vice-captain of the ODI side.

Carey had always been highly regarded by South Australia, for whom he turned out at age-group levels in addition to his club side Glenelg. On returning home from Sydney, Carey excelled in grade ranks as a batsman, but found the going harder when first chosen for the Redbacks in early 2013. These struggles led the adaptable Carey to make another switch, from full-time batter to a wicketkeeper-batter down the order, and it was in this form that he was able to progress. Amid a strong club and 2nd XI season in 2015-16, he displaced Tim Ludeman as South Australia's gloveman, and earned strong reviews for his precise footwork, soft hands and promising, elegant batting.

He took 57 Sheffield Shield catches and two stumpings in 2016-17 and was in the selectors' thoughts entering the 2017-18 Ashes, only to be nipped out of a baggy green by the return of the older, wiser Tim Paine. He quickly replaced Paine in the ODI team and remarkably became vice-captain of both limited-overs teams in the aftermath of Australian cricket's cultural review, cementing his place for the 2019 ODI World Cup. Two years later, he captained the ODI side in a series against West Indies.

Carey's elevation to the Test team also came in rather chaotic circumstances after Paine resigned as captain shortly before the 2021-22 Ashes then stepped away from the game. However, although it was a hasty leap into the role, it felt like the natural order.
ESPNcricinfo staff