BGT 2024-25: Carey Heaps Praise On Batters Following Their Exceptional Performance In Ongoing Series

January 1, 2025: Ahead of the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between Australia and India, Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey praised his teammates for their remarkable contributions throughout the series, particularly Travis Head, Steven Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne.

Following Australia’s 184-run victory in the Melbourne Test, which saw them take a 2-1 lead in the series, Carey acknowledged the key role these batters played in the ongoing campaign. The win in Melbourne also ended India’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s early next year.

“Travis has scored the bulk of the runs early in the series, and then Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne stepped up,” Carey said in a pre-match news conference. “We’re pretty level, and like I said, it hasn’t changed a lot from a really poor fixture. We understand it wasn’t the way we wanted to play, but I think staying level and understanding that we’re a good team has been the way,” he added, highlighting the consistency and adaptability of Australia’s batting line-up.

Carey also emphasized that the team’s mindset has remained steady throughout the series, despite challenges faced earlier. “The mood hasn’t changed a lot. We’re a proud group. We wanted to bounce back from Perth, but I don’t think we had to change too much for a lot to change. It’s been really level throughout the series, trusting players to perform when their time comes,” Carey noted.

The Boxing Day Test was particularly intense, with Mitchell Starc battling fitness issues but still delivering a full-paced spell to help Australia defend the target of 340 runs on the final day. Despite his discomfort, Starc’s fiery performance helped Australia dismiss India for just 155 runs, sealing a comprehensive win. Pat Cummins was named ‘Player of the Match’ following his stellar all-round performance with both bat and ball.

Looking ahead to the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 3, Carey expressed confidence in the team’s ability to keep up their high standards. As Australia leads the series 2-1, they will aim to seal the win and finish strong in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The upcoming Test is set to be a crucial one, as India will look to bounce back and level the series, while Australia seeks to finish the series with a commanding 3-1 victory.