Big Bash League 2020-21 season promises to be another big affair. Set to begin on Thursday, December 10, the tenth edition of the competition has undergone several changes which includes bonus points, free-hit for wides and even substitutions. 

The alterations have received its fair share of criticism, but it will rather be interesting to see how the teams would utilize them. Furthermore, in what comes as a major boost, all eight teams will play BBL 10 in front of their home fans this season, subject to the pandemic situation in the country.

Big Bash League 2020 will have several players under the scanner, and here are five names who will need to up their ante during the course:

Alex Hales - Sydney Thunders

England batsman Alex Hales scored 272 runs in nine Pakistan Super League (PSL) games this season at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 148.63. Now, the figures are truly impressive on paper for T20 cricket, but note that a majority of his PSL runs came before the lockdown was imposed in Pakistan. In his last two outings of the competition, the 31-year-old has accumulated a mere 33 runs. In fact, since September this year, the England batsman has scored just 176 runs in 10 games, which translates to just above 17 runs per innings.

Hales has an above-average T20I record, but finding a place in the first team has been hard to come by. He played his last T20I against West Indies in March 2019, and a good BBL might uplift his stature as we near the T20 World Cup 2020.

Alex Carey - Adelaide Strikers

Matthew Wade’s surge in form means Alex Carey’s place in the Australian T20I setup is now in jeopardy. The 29-year-old wicket-keeper batsman has registered scores of 4, 14, 14*, 2 in his last T20 outings (first three in the Indian T20 League for team Delhi) and the Big Bash League 2020 gives him a perfect chance to resurrect his career in the shortest format. With the T20I World Cup looming, the Australia cricket team as well as the player would want to assert a claim in the upcoming T20 extravaganza as his figures in T20I (average of 12.57) certainly doesn’t help either party.

Chris Lynn - Brisbane Heat

Hard-hitting batsman Chris Lynn didn’t bat for the entirety of the Indian T20 League 2020, but went on to smash 154 runs off 55 balls in a Queensland Premier Cricket T20 match last week. Playing for Toombul, the 30-year-old scored 140 of his 154 runs in boundaries, hitting 20 sixes and five boundaries to help his team post 266/6. It may well and truly be a booster, one cannot overlook how sub-par he was in the 2020 edition of the Caribbean Premier League. Scoring a mere 138 runs in nine games at an average of 17.25, Lynn failed to score even a single half-century, with his best being 34.

Lynn has always found it difficult to get into the Australian T20I team, and BBL 2020 could well and truly be his last hurray. 

James Vince - Sydney Sixers

A month after testing positive for the global virus, England batsman James Vince will return to action, playing for Sydney Sixers. Vince’s average of 28.33 in T20I may look decent but his recent performances paint an entirely different picture altogether. His last cricketing action came in September 2020 in the Vitality Blast, and he failed to get past the 10-run run mark in four of his last six outings. With the competition within the team itself looking strong, Vince will have to put in an assertive performance in the tournament.

Colin Munro - Perth Scorchers

Colin Munro missed out on a New Zealand central contract for 2020-21 and that has deterred his performances in one way or the other. The 33-year-old has as many as six single-digit scores in his last seven outings. Coming fresh at the back of a 207-run tally in eight innings with an average and strike rate of 34.50 and 133.54 respectively, and a mere 11 runs in the Ford Trophy, Munro will have to be at his very best to regain the lost touch.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @OptaJim

A brilliant bowling effort saw hosts England defend a modest total of 231 against Australia, who were bundled out for 207 in the second ODI of their ongoing three-match series.

The two teams will now play in a decider on Wednesday, September 15 at 5:30 pm at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, England. We pick out two players from each side to watch out for in this winner-takes-all match:

Joe Root

Since his stretch of four half-centuries and two centuries in seven matches in 2019, Joe Root has hit a bit of a snag in ODI cricket.

The England Test captain has failed to score a half-century in nine straight innings. If he fails to score atleast 50 in the third ODI, it will be the longest stretch in his career without a half-century, surpassing the nine-match run that he had at the tail end of 2013 and at the start of 2014. With an average of over 50 in ODIs, Root is among the finest batsmen in the format. With Jonny Bairstow struggling for form, England need their talisman to deliver with the bat and the third ODI could be the perfect opportunity for him to end his lean spell.

Marnus Labuschagne

He may have played just eight innings so far in his nascent ODI career, but Marnus Labuschagne is one of Australia’s foremost batsmen. Averaging just a shade under 47, Labuschagne has scored two half-centuries and a ton in his eight innings so far. The 26-year-old played an assured knock of 48 before being dismissed in the second ODI, and his departure caused a collapse that the visitors failed to recover from.

Tom Curran

All-rounder Tom Curran was sensational in the second ODI with the ball as well as the bat. He came in to bat with England reeling at 143/7 before being reduced to 149/8 in the 41st over. Curran scored 37 off 39 runs and forged a 76-run partnership for the ninth wicket alongside Adil Rashid that helped England reach a fairly competitive and eventually match-winning total of 231.

• England vs Australia third ODI: When and where to watch

Curran was tremendous with the ball, giving away just 28 runs in his quota of 10 overs, curbing the scoring rate and helping England defend the total. Curran’s improved form came in clutch for the home side in the second ODI and the hosts will be hopeful of a repeat performance in the decider.

Alex Carey

Wicketkeeper batsmen Alex Carey waged a lone battle at the end for Australia and tried his best to guide the home side to victory. But with wickets crumbling at an alarming rate, there was little Carey could do to help his side.

Despite the loss, it was an encouraging showing from the batsman who has now gone nine games without a half-century to his name. But, that wouldn’t concern Australia given how loaded the top of the order is. They would, however, rely on Carey to give them a power-packed finish at the end or anchor the tail in a chase, which he himself has admitted to wanting to do.

If you wish to raise the stakes further, Sportsbet.io has even more to offer!

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Glyn Kirk

The Indian T20 League auction is set to get underway on Thursday and franchises are expected to have proper plans in place to get valuable buys under the belt. Some of them will be on the look out for wicket-keepers and the likes of Alex Carey and Shai Hope are sure to generate a stirring interest after their recent displays.

Here we look at five wicket-keeper batsmen who could be on the radar of franchises.

Shai Hope

The West Indies opener is one of the most consistent batsmen in limited-overs cricket these days. While not considered a T20 player, Hope has the flair and substance to put up formidable partnerships at the top of the order and also doubles up as a good wicket-keeping option. Quite a few franchises have firepower at the top, yet no stability and it is here that someone like Hope could be a good pick.

Franchises that could benefit from picking him: Hyderabad, Punjab, Kolkata

Read | Indian T20 League auctions: Neesham, Marsh Jr. among those to watch out for

Glenn Phillips

The Kiwi wicket-keeper batsman became a name in the Super Smash in 2016/17 when he made 369 runs, including a 57-ball 116, in the season and topped the run charts. Phillips was a key player in 2018 in the Caribbean Premier League for Jamaica Tallahwahs, making 457 runs in 11 innings and finishing as the second highest run-getter. Phillips has an in-your-face attribute which could work well for most franchises.

Franchises that could benefit from picking him: Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai

Alex Carey

The Australian wicket-keeper batsman is a versatile T20 batsman and can switch between attack and defense as the situation demands. He has played six T20Is for Australia this year but hasn't had to bat even once. That said, his ODI exploits were so impressive that Carey could be a great pick in the auction. In the World Cup, he made 375 runs in 10 matches at 62.5 while scoring at 104.16. Later in the T20 Blast, Carey slammed 264 runs in 10 games for the Sussex Sharks, scoring at 152.6. He could be a very handy finisher for franchises and is a terrific keeper behind the stumps.

Franchises that could benefit from picking him: Rajasthan, Punjab, Hyderabad

Read | Indian T20 League auctions: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Priyam Garg the top U-19 picks

Mushfiqur Rahim

The Bangladesh middle-order batsman is a rather underrated T20 player. In 178 matches in the format, Rahim has 3617 runs at an average of 27.19 and strikes at a rate of 128. He has further effected 89 catches and 43 stumpings in the format. Capable of playing the sheet anchor role, Rahim has been often neglected in the auction but this time comes off the back of a match-winning 96* for Khulna Tigers in the Bangladesh Premier League. He could grab a few eyeballs this auction and be an experienced pick for many franchises.

Franchises that could benefit from picking him: Hyderabad, Delhi

Kedar Devdhar

A domestic wicket-keeper batsman who plays for Baroda, Kedar Devdhar is a rather understated player and could be in for a decent gig at the auction this time around. In 2018, he made a maiden hundred in the format for Baroda against Gujarat. In the 2019 Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, Devdhar made 356 runs in 10 matches averaging close to 40 and scoring three half-centuries. The wicket-keeper batsman is a good option for a lot of teams this auction.

Franchises that could benefit from picking him: Delhi, Bangalore, Rajasthan

Feature image courtesy: AFP / STR

All-rounders, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis did not find a place in Australia’s squad for the ODI series against India next month, announced early today morning, as 2019’s standout batsman, Marnus Labuschagne found a place in the team’s limited-overs�?set-up for the first time.

The 14-man list also excluded star spinner, Nathan Lyon as Australia made seven changes from their World Cup squad. Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Handscomb and Ashton Turner were the others in the squad not part of the World Cup.

JUST IN: Australia's ODI squad to tour India next month #INDvAUS

Aaron Finch (c)
Sean Abbott
Ashton Agar
Alex Carey (vc)
Pat Cummins (vc)
Peter Handscomb
Josh Hazlewood
Marnus Labuschagne
Kane Richardson
Steven Smith
Mitchell Starc
Ashton Turner
David Warner
Adam Zampa

�?cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2019

Labuschagne, who shot into the top 10 Test rankings earlier this month on the back of consecutive Test hundreds against Pakistan, has been rewarded with for his stupendous form in recent times. He also proved his credentials with an average of 60 in the recently-concluded Marsh ODI Cup, Australia’s domestic one-day tournament.

Hazlewood, currently out of the ongoing New Zealand Test series with an injury, has also been named as part of a four-man pace quartet, which includes Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Sean Abbott, who in all probability travels as the back-up. Hazlewood, often referred to as the modern-day McGrath for his consistent line and lengths, missed out on a World Cup ticket earlier this year.

Read | Glenn Maxwell makes return to cricket after mental health break

Ashton Turner and Peter Handscomb, the latter having made it to Australia’s World Cup team only as a late injury replacement for Usman Khawaja, have been named for their ability to play spin and also for their heroics in the sub-continent on Australia’s tour earlier this year.

Alex Carey, who enjoyed a great World Cup campaign, and Pat Cummins have been named as joint deputies to Aaron Finch, who continues to captain the side after he led them to the World Cup semi-finals and whitewash victories over Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the recent T2o series.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Saeed Khan

England being crowned as the new world champions after their nerve-wracking win over New Zealand concluded the 12^th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup on Sunday. And while this campaign saw several amazing team performances, individual brilliance was on show in full swing as well.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) sure have named their best XI, but we think there needs to some alterations in the team. That being said, here we present to you ‘Stumped’s Best XI�?

David Warner (Australia):

Having missed the honour of being the highest scorer of this year’s tournament by just two runs, Warner (647 runs) became only the fourth Australian to score 500-plus runs in a single World Cup. It is not just that, his personal best of 166 against Bangladesh is the highest individual score of the tournament. And all these figures coming on the back of a one-year suspension made Warner arguably one of the finest batsmen of the World Cup.

Jonny Bairstow (England):

No Rohit Sharma or Jason Roy. Surprised? Don’t be. Following England’s back-to-back defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia in the league stage, it was Bairstow who led England’s batting contingent by scoring two consecutive tons. Apart from that, his tally of nine catches in 11 games in the tournament is only the third best.

He delivered when it mattered the most; as simple as that. Bairstow might have scored fewer runs than Joe Root but imagine what kind of havoc he might cause with Warner being his partner-in-crime. Sounds familiar, right?

Kane Williamson (New Zealand) (captain):

Leading his team right from the front, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson scored 578 runs (highest score for any captain in a World Cup) in nine innings at an average of a whopping 82.57. Having been named as the ‘Player of the Tournament�? Williamson soared like a true leader throughout the tournament.

Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Babar Azam played a huge role in Pakistan’s revival at the death. The Men in Green were indeed eliminated, but it was Babar who made sure the dreams of his nation stay intact right till the very end. In Pakistan’s last four league games, the 24-year-old scored a ton and two half-centuries. Again, when it mattered the most.

Why not Shakib Al Hasan you ask? Well, let’s just put it this way; did Bangladesh have anything to lose? The Tigers were a free-flowing unit and their chances of making it to the semi-finals were slim. Pakistan, on the other hand, were hanging at the edge of the cliff and needed someone to deliver, which Babar did.

Ben Stokes (England):

The man who cruised England to their first World Cup glory, Ben Stokes was absolutely flawless throughout the tournament, scoring 465 runs in 10 innings and picking seven wickets with a mere economy of 4.83. Apart from all that, he also took arguably one of the best catches of the World Cup to dismiss South Africa's Andile Phehlukwayo in the opening game of the tournament.

Enough said, guys!

James Neesham (New Zealand):

Picking 15 wickets, including a five-wicket haul against Afghanistan at Taunton, New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham was one of the glaring lights no one expected to shine. His total of 232 runs in eight innings also proved instrumental as New Zealand booked a place in the final for the second time running.

Not to forget the way he almost guided the Black Caps to glory in the Super Over on Sunday at Lord’s. Almost!

Alex Carey (Australia):

Scoring 375 runs at 62.50 in nine innings, Australia’s wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey did his job to mere perfection. Be it with the gloves or the bat, the 27-year-old stabled Australia’s lower order whenever the situation arose.  

Mitchell Starc (Australia):

Being the highest wicket-taker in a tournament like the World Cup isn’t a child’s play. For pacer Mitchell Starc, he has now achieved the feat in two consecutive tournaments. Not only did his tally of 27 wickets in this year’s edition made him the leading wicket-taker, but he also set a new record for most wickets in a single World Cup.

Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand):

Arguably one of the finds of the tournament, Lockie Ferguson overshadowed New Zealand’s main man, Trent Boult, by picking 21 wickets (second-best) in the tournament. Furthermore, his bowling average and strike-rate of 19.47 and 23.9 respectively, too, was better than Boult, making him the most effective pacer of his team.

Imran Tahir (South Africa):

In a rather underwhelming tenure for South Africa, where the likes of Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada were supposed to be the lynchpin, a certain Imran Tahir shone the brightest. At 40, Tahir delivered arguably the best spinning performance of the World Cup, picking 11 wickets in eight innings at an economy of 4.92. Only India’s Yuzvendra Chahal, as a spinner, picked more wickets than Tahir (12) but was expensive overall in terms of leaking runs.

Mohammad Amir (Pakistan):

An economy of mere 4.90 and a bowling strike rate of 25.7 made Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir one of the best bowlers of the tournament. All this coupled with 17 wickets, including a five-fer against Australia, in mere eight innings is a perfect testament of how effective his tenure was on a personal note. He was definitely a bright spot in Pakistan’s otherwise unpredictable campaign.

Australia’s wicketkeeper-batsman, Alex Carey was at the receiving end of a vicious Jofra Archer delivery, which knocked his helmet off before he started bleeding from his chin during the second semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 against England at Edgbaston.

Alex Carey injured but still Playing #ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/giY3ojh0xg

�?Syed Atif (@_SmokeDream_) July 11, 2019

The 27-year-old, playing the final ball of the eighth over, needed immediate medical attention as blood kept on streaming. The medical staff was quick to apply bandages, as the batsman returned to the crease. As for the fans, however painful the sight was, they were quick to draw a comparison of the event to that of Ricky Ponting’s injury, which the former Australian captain had sustained during the Ashes 2005.

Ponting, facing 6�?�?Steve Harmison, was hit right on his cheek before he started bleeding.

As for Carey, he went on to score a 70-ball 46 before falling to Adil Rashid’s trickery. As their top order collapsed, Carey played an important 103-run stand with Steve Smith to save Australia from their blushes.

Meanwhile, Twitter has gone down the memory lane and this is how they are reacting:

Was in Lord's media centre for day one of immortal 2005 Ashes, when Harmison quickly drew Ponting facial blood ... key series statement. Is history repeating itself ahead of 2019 edition, as new Eng tearaway Archer nastily dings Carey on chin in CWC semi?

�?Rob Houwing (@RobHouwing) July 11, 2019

The cut on the face for Carey brings back memories for Ponting of 2005 vs Harmison

�?Ken McAlpine (@KenMcAlpine) July 11, 2019

What a brilliant catch from Carey... after his Ponting 2005 moment. #brute

�?Brenton Speed (@BrentonSpeed) July 11, 2019

Ponting 2005 Ashes Test, Lord's

Carey 2019 #CWC19 semi-final, Edgbaston pic.twitter.com/aaeHTYWdOo

�?Dave Middleton (@Dave_Middleton) July 11, 2019

Deadly from archer. Ricky ponting vibe as Carey gets cut #ENGvAUS #CWC19

�?JACK (@Jackariahtjr) July 11, 2019

Anyone else?? Harmison to Ponting / Archer to Carey.

2005�?gt;2019 #CWC2019 #ENGvAUS @englandcricket pic.twitter.com/8ZL9dxbJXS

�?Michael Wood (@michael_wood793) July 11, 2019

Serious intent on display from #England here. The ball that hit Alex Carey on the jaw and made him bleed reminded me of the ball that Steve Harmison bowled to Ponting during the 2005 ashes that hit him on the cheek and caused him to bleed.#AUSvENG#ENGvAUS #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/xu6CuBx16V

�?s#i (@shashishekhar) July 11, 2019

Well done, Carey!

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

Australia became the first team to book a place in the semi-finals of the 2019 ICC World Cup after they brushed aside a mediocre New Zealand side on Saturday (June 29). At the centre of the World Champions�?resounding win was the wicketkeeper-batsmen Alex Carey, who stabilized the ship after an early collapse like so many times in the past. The southpaw has been a constant selection in the Aussie squad since the past couple of seasons, but he faced a few rough times back in the day, times when he almost contemplated quitting cricket.

Try and put yourself in Alex Carey’s shoes. You have been one of the most successful players at your local club and managed to earn a call-up for the West End Redbacks �?the cricket team in South Australia. However, you decide to relinquish that contract for your love for rugby’s oval ball and Australian rules football envelopes the commitment for the gentleman’s game.

Signing for the Western Sydney Giants, your captaincy helps them get promoted to the AFL. However, a contract extension is not forthcoming due to your so-called short stature despite being 5 foot 8. Out of contract in football, after having kicked away your opportunity at cricket, you are in your mid-twenties without a job and sans a college education.

Nevertheless, Carey did not let the situation fluster him as he got back to his premier love of cricket. He started from the very bottom yet again, playing with local club Glenelg, and took to wicket-keeping for the first time in his mid-twenties. Fortunately for Carey, he was spotted by former Aussie coach Tim Neilsen who gave him an opportunity to play up the ranks and represent South Australia.

Opportunities were few and far between in his first season but after veteran keeper Tim Luderman suffered a blip in form, Carey was given a change in the Sheffield Shield. He scored over 500 runs in the 2016/17 season and affected 59 dismissals behind the stumps despite being a relative rookie wicketkeeper. The good domestic form finally culminated in an International ODI call up in 2018, when he was selected ahead of Australia’s Test captain Tim Paine or the seasoned Peter Nevill.

“Alex picks up things. You tell him once, he goes away, thinks about it, comes back and says ‘I haven’t slept last night but I understand what you mean�?�?was former Test keeper and current fielding coach Brad Haddin’s assessment. Another Aussie legend, Steve Waugh once compared Carey to a potent mix between Micheal Bevan and Mike Hussey.

Motivated by these high praises, the left-hander has been the stable rock of the Australian middle-order ever since then, finding a way to overcome difficult circumstances and paddle on in the game. While Australian rules football may be lamenting the loss of a brilliant sportsman like Carey, he has proved to be cricket’s biggest gain, becoming the glue that has held together the Aussie middle-order together.

Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Saeed Khan 

Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey both hit fifties as they shared a century stand that saw reigning champions Australia recover from a top-order collapse in their World Cup match against New Zealand at Lord's on Saturday.

The left-handed pair came together with Australia having slumped to 92-5. 

But when Carey fell for 71, chipping New Zealand captain Kane Williamson's off-spin to Martin Guptill at extra cover, Australia were 199-6 with seven overs left.

Wicketkeeper Carey faced 72 balls and hit 11 fours, the best arguably a superb straight drive off Trent Boult.

Australia, who beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the 2015 World Cup final, had already qualified for the last four out of the 10-team round-robin phase before captain Aaron Finch won Saturday's toss.

His decision to bat first on a used pitch -- the same track on which Australia beat England by 64 runs at Lord's on Tuesday -- was understandable given the sunny conditions but a worn surface provided some variable bounce and sharp turn.

The form of Australia's first-wicket pair has been a key factor in much of their success at this tournament, with Finch and David Warner having scored 657 runs together in eight matches, including Saturday's fixture, at an average of 82.12.

But it was a different story against the Black Caps, with both Finch (8) and Warner (16) dismissed cheaply.

Left-arm quick Boult opened the match with a maiden as did medium-pacer Colin de Grandhomme, who almost had Finch out for a duck only for Guptill to drop a tough chance at short extra-cover off a fierce drive.

Boult, however, made the breakthrough in the fifth over when Finch was plumb lbw to a ball that nipped back.

Two balls later Khawaja almost went for a duck, only for a diving Guptill to drop a catch at second slip.

New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, however, struck first ball.

He appeared to surprise Warner, who came into this match as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 500 runs, courtesy of a sharply lifting delivery the left-hander could not evade as he tried to sway out of the way before wicket-keeper Tom Latham held a simple catch.

Ferguson also contributed to Steve Smith's downfall, the former captain falling for just five when he miscued a hook shot and Guptill, now at short fine leg, held a sensational diving catch as he atoned for his earlier misses in style.

First-change Ferguson had now taken two wickets for three runs in eight balls.

Warner and Smith were booed on and off the field following their recent returns after each served 12-month bans for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal during a Test in South Africa.

They were both back in the pavilion when Jimmy Neesham took two wickets for no runs in four balls to reduce Australia to 92-5.

Neesham had Marcus Stoinis (21) caught behind before the all-rounder held a brilliant diving left-handed catch off his own bowling after dangerman Glenn Maxwell (one) miscued a pull.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / Cricket World Cup

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey says the defending champions will target Bangladesh dangerman Shakib Al Hasan when the two sides meet at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

Shakib's brilliant century helped the Tigers complete the second-highest World Cup chase in a seven-wicket win over the West Indies in Taunton on Monday.

The 32-year-old all-rounder, who is the tournament's leading run-scorer with 384 runs, also hit a century against England earlier in the tournament and has been among the wickets.

When Bangladesh beat Australia in a 2005 one-day international in Cardiff, it was widely regarded as one of the biggest upsets in cricket history.

But they are now an established force and, having beaten both South Africa and the West Indies already at this tournament, they are pushing for a semi-final berth.

"We've obviously put our time into Shakib and all the players at the top of the order as well as their bowling," Carey said on Wednesday.

"He's in probably career-best form with the white ball. So, we sort of know the areas and line and length we want to bowl to him, and I guess out there we'll assess the conditions as well.

"We leave that up to the bowlers and the captain to do that, but he's one guy we want to get out early."

Australia, despite a defeat by India, appear to be well on course for a semi-final berth, with four wins from their five matches in the 10-team round-robin phase so far.

But wicketkeeper-batsman Carey said there was still room for improvement from the defending champions.

"We obviously like to take wickets up front, there have been times we probably would have liked to finish off innings with the bat," he said.

"Although we're getting results, we're still striving hard to try to find that perfect game and put a full 50 or 100 overs together. But the guys are working really hard and we're aware of the areas to keep improving."

All-rounder Marcus Stoinis could return at Trent Bridge on Thursday after missing Australia's past two matches with a side strain.

"It will be great to have Stoinis to come back into the side," said Carey. "And I know he's worked really hard off the ground to be ready to go, and he's smacking

Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Paul Ellis

Alex Carey has been endorsed by Ricky Ponting to be Australia's wicket-keeper at the World Cup, with the team's batting coach also backing him as stand-in captain if Aaron Finch is injured.

The 27-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks with his calm demeanour and leadership qualities winning over the former skipper, who will be coach Justin Langer's right-hand man at the tournament in England and Wales this year.

"Alex Carey offers the best package as keeper," Ponting, who played at five World Cups, told cricket.com.au when asked who he sees filling the role.

Chief selector Trevor Hohns recently mentioned Test skipper Tim Paine and the in-form Matthew Wade, as well Peter Handscomb, as other possible wicket-keeping options. But Ponting believes Carey deserves the opportunity after his performances in Australia's recent eight-game winning streak.

"He's dangerous at the top of the order or late in the innings because he does score 360 degrees, he's a deceptively hard hitter of the ball and for mine, he’s just the right character, he's the right person that you want to have in your team," he said.

"I actually think he's got really good strong leadership qualities as well.

"If anything happened to Finch through the World Cup or leading into the World Cup, then I think he's really well-equipped to lead the side, even though he's still relatively inexperienced and never captained Australia before."

Carey is already joint vice-captain alongside Pat Cummins, with several other senior players, such as Usman Khawaja, also possibilities to lead the side should Finch be injured.

Defending champions Australia must name their World Cup squad this month.

"I'd like to be at the World Cup first," Carey said when asked about the captaincy, adding: "We've got lots of leaders around this group."