Adelaide, Oct 28 (IANS) Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey dismissed Stuart Broad’s remark that England would be facing “the worst Australian team since 2010,” stating that the tourists would have to “wait and see” in next month’s Ashes, implying that the Aussies are still strong and can’t be written off.

Responding to ex-Australia batter David Warner’s prediction England would lose the series down under 4-0, Broad launched an early attack, describing Australia’s current Test team as the worst since 2010. “You wouldn’t be outlandish in thinking – it’s actually not an opinion, it’s a fact – it’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won. And it’s the best English team since 2010,” he had said on his podcast For The Love Of Cricket.

Now, reacting to Broad’s comment, Carey told reporters on Tuesday, “No comment, is that what he said, did he? I guess we will wait and see. All the guys have played against Stuart in the past and we know how big a competitor he is and how much he’s done for Test cricket.”

“We have a really experienced cricket team who has had a lot of success over the last three to four years under Patty Cummins. To win a World Test Championship, to retain the Ashes over there, to make another World Test Championship earlier this year was a pretty good recognition for the success this team has had.

“I think internally the boys don’t think they are written off, I just think this group has been able to overcome any challenge that has come their way. And that is through experience, great leadership, amazing players. Some of Australia’s greatest Test players are in this Test team at the moment,” he added.

Australia enter the Ashes series starting in Perth on November 21 without injured skipper Pat Cummins, with Steve Smith taking the captaincy. Scott Boland, who averages 12.63 with the ball at home, shapes as the likely replacement in the bowling attack for Perth in Cummins’ absence.

Despite Cummins’ absence, Carey believes Australia’s bowling stocks are strong and backed Smith to comfortably fill Cummins’ captaincy shoes.

“And I think we have seen that with Scott Boland; his record without playing consecutive Test matches regularly speaks volumes to that. There are a number of guys, someone comes out and you definitely have someone coming in that will do a really good job,” he said.

“Not much changes if Pat does come out of the team, Steve has experience, and he is excited to step into the role, and he has a great tactical brain. But not much changes for the group.”

–IANS

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