How Virat Kohli, Steve Smith's advice helped Australia star produce match-winning effort in WTC final against India
The Australian wicketkeeper revealed that his choice of shot was criticized by Kohli and Smith.
Alex Carey has been one of Australia’s most confident batters in their two Test matches this summer in England so far, scoring 180 runs in three innings and only being dismissed twice. He has looked comfortable in the WTC final against India, and now in the first Test of the Ashes. This comes after he had a subpar tour of India earlier this year, in which he often lost his wicket cheaply playing poorly executed unorthodox shots.
Speaking to Cricket.com.au, Carey revealed that he put the reverse sweep away after he was admonished for playing that shot by two of the finest batters in the world, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith — and even his wife Eloise to boot. Carey has attempted a reverse sweep 17 times in 2023, and been dismissed on 4 occasions, most recently to Ravindra Jadeja while batting on 48 in the first innings of the WTC final. “There was no need to play that at The Oval in the first innings,” Carey said of that dismissal.
The Australian wicketkeeper then revealed that his choice of shot was criticized by Kohli and Smith, the reverse having already gotten him in trouble in India. “When you have Virat Kohli and Steve Smith saying, 'what are you doing that for?', you probably listen to them,” he said. Ricky Ponting had also done a segment while on commentary in the WTC final which showed Carey was far more successful when attempting the standard sweep shot.
Carey did play the reverse on one occasion in the first innings at Edgbaston against England, having already crossed his half-century. Playing Moeen Ali, Carey hadn’t been tempted, but said that he only tried it when a run-scoring opportunity opened up. “The opportunity I saw after 50 yesterday was (Ben) Duckett came into point and there was no-one boundary-riding out there. I didn't get one away but I probably saw opportunities to score elsewhere.”
Carey has enjoyed a solid run behind the stumps for Australia since replacing former captain Tim Paine in the lineup, providing value to the squad with both bat and gloves. His runs late in the innings have been essential for Australia throughout the WTC cycle, as well as in the final itself.