A catch for the ages, a 'keeper for an era

On December 8, 2021, Ian Healy watched from the Gabba commentary box as Alex Carey warmed up for his Test debut. Healy noted technical details Carey could refine.

Four years later, on December 7, 2025, Healy leaped from his seat in the same box. He insisted the world had just seen one of Test cricket's greatest catches—not a recent Steve Smith miracle, but a stunning take by Carey.

Standing up to Michael Neser's medium pace, Carey snatched an edge from Ben Stokes. An ecstatic Healy detailed the catch's extreme difficulty and the technical genius required, praising the 34-year-old's performance in one of wicket-keeping's most challenging roles. He compared Carey to Don Tallon, post-WWII Australia's best keeper to fast bowling, and declared Carey the current best in the business.

Brad Haddin, commentating nearby, was equally effusive. Later, as Australia went 2-0 up in the Ashes, Adam Gilchrist posted a selfie with Carey captioned "Wicket-keeping porn."

Welcome to the Carey era
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This moment arrived in Carey's 45th Test—he's played every Australian Test since his debut. On a day he was welcomed by Australia's wicket-keeping royalty, the wider cricket world acknowledged him as the globe's best gloveman, unanimously and without debate.

Australian Test wicket-keeping eras are defining: Rod Marsh (70s-80s), Ian Healy (90s), Adam Gilchrist (millennium turn), Brad Haddin (2000s). After Tim Paine's stint, it's now officially the Alex Carey era.

Credit goes to Carey's relentless work on his craft. He has improved in every condition: England's swing and seam, the subcontinent's turn, Australia's pace and bounce. His neat glovework, fluid foot movement, and trademark anticipation show constant evolution.

Carey is always first to the ground each Test day. With assistant coach Andre Borovec—a former Premier Cricket keeper—he tirelessly runs through routines, regardless of previous day's toil or an overnight century. He maintains the same work ethic in Sheffield Shield matches, often with former national coach Tim Nielsen. Carey proactively seeks advice from keepers worldwide, a trait evident since his Australian rules football days and junior cricket return in his early 20s.

Carey shadows Lyon in the nets, a relationship that's unlocked new gears to his game
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His global evolution is clear. Early struggles, like missed stumpings on his 2022 Sri Lanka tour, gave way to improvement in India eight months later. By his 2025 return to Sri Lanka, he had mastered the challenge.

A key element is his cultivated relationship with Nathan Lyon. Aware of Lyon's vital bond with predecessor Tim Paine, Carey began shadowing Lyon from his first Test training in Brisbane four years ago, keeping to him in nets and on the square. Their bond deepened, highlighted when Lyon passed the team song duties to Carey in the Caribbean months ago.

Carey's batting has also surged. After a low-score patch that threatened his spot, he averages near 48 since a match-winning knock in Christchurch (February 2024), lifting his overall Test average to 34.98. He has consistently played vital, momentum-shifting innings in recent Test victories.

His Gabba masterclass is now his statement piece—a catch that captivated his illustrious predecessors and cemented his place among Australian Test wicket-keeping's highest echelons. Welcome to the Alex Carey era.