Carey recalled for first T20I in four years

Josh Inglis' illness sees Test gloveman back in T20 side, while Sean Abbott is in for the rested Nathan Ellis

Alex Carey will play his first T20I in four years with first-choice wicketkeeper Josh Inglis unavailable for the second BKT Tyres T20 against South Africa due to illness.

With no back-up keeper in Australia's T20 squad, Inglis played through the opening match on Sunday night despite suffering "flu-like symptoms" according to a CA spokesperson.

But Carey joined the squad a few days earlier than scheduled. The 33-year-old, a specialist batter in the 50-over side, was not due into the camp until Thursday when the ODI team assembles in Cairns.

On Tuesday evening, Australia captain Mitch Marsh won the toss and chose to field first with the sides to use the same pitch that was used in the first T20I.

Australia XI: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (c), Cameron Green, Tim David, Mitch Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood South Africa XI: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi

With 38 T20Is to his name, Carey has missed the Aussies' past 63 matches in the format, with his last outing coming on a Covid-19 tour of Bangladesh where they lost 4-1.

Australia's only other change for the second T20 was in the bowling department with Nathan Ellis given a rest and replaced by Sean Abbott.

A pre-match snap of the pitch // cricket.com.au

Ellis' workload has been managed after he played all five T20Is in the Caribbean last month in the space of eight days, before turning out in Australia's 17-run win on Sunday when he took 0-44 from four overs.

South Africa also made two changes to their XI, bringing in batter Rassie van der Dussen and 23-year-old leg-spinner Nqaba Peter.

Making way for the Proteas were their two front-line spinners from game one, George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy.

Inglis has been Australia's preferred keeper in both white-ball formats since he replaced Carey one game into the 2023 ODI World Cup.

However, Carey made his way back into Australia's 50-over side during February's Champions Trophy, playing as a batter with Inglis taking the gloves.

And Australia's selection chair George Bailey said on Thursday that would continue to be the way forward if the two were selected in the same XI.

"If he plays it's as a specialist batsman," Bailey told reporters in Darwin.

"He's come back into that team and performed incredibly well.

"We've only got the one wicketkeeper up here for the T20 series. If something was to happen to Josh, I think Alex could slot into that team and do a good job as well.

"(He's a) left-hander, (a) good player of spin has added some really good power to his game."

Australia have won nine matches in a row in the format, a new record for the team and three behind the all-time record by full-member nations, held jointly by India (2021-22) and Afghanistan (2018-19).

BKT Tyres T20I Series - Australia v South Africa

August 10: Australia won the first T20I by 17 runs.

August 12: Second T20I v South Africa, Marrara Stadium, Darwin, 7pm AEST

August 16: Third T20I v South Africa, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 7pm AEST

BKT Tyres ODI Series - Australia v South Africa

August 19: First ODI v South Africa, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 2:30pm AEST

August 22: Second ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST

August 24: Third ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen

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