Ashes 2021: Alex Carey achieves rare feat on debut; breaks Rishabh Pant's record

Alex Carey on Saturday became the first cricketer to claim eight wickets on his Test debut as Australia inched closer towards winning Australia vs England 1st Ashes Test. Carey is making his debut for Australia in the longest format of the game after Tim Paine decided to take a break following the Texting scandal which came out just days before the start of the Ashes series.

The Gabba Test saw him becoming the 461st Australian player to earn the baggy green cap. 

Ashes 2021: Alex Carey record eight catches on Test debut

On Saturday Alex Carey has equalled the record for most catches by a wicketkeeper on Test debut (7) joining the likes of Chris Read, Brian Taber, Chamara Dunusinghe, Rishabh Pant, Peter Nevill and Alan Knott. He picked up the eighth catch when Chris Woakes edge Cameron Green delivery behind the wicket. 

In the first innings, Alex Carey had wickets of Dawid Malan, Jos Buttler and Ollie Robinson. In the second innings, the debutant took catches of England openers Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns and added the likes of England skipper Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes to his list of catches.

Ashes 2021: Australia on the brink of victory 

England ended Day 3 on a confident note with Dawid Malan and Joe Root both scoring half-centuries. Both the batters were expected to carry the bat on Day 4 but Australia pacers had other plans as England batting lineup crumbled once again . Cameron Green p[rovided the first breakthrough of the morning dismissing skipper Joe Root for 89 runs. 

Dawid Malan was the next batsman to go becoming Nathan Lyon;'s 4ooth Test victim.  Ben Stokes' brief stay at the crease was ended by Australia skipper Pat Cummins, while Jos Buttler was dismissed by Josh Hazelwood for 23 runs. Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood were both dismissed by Nathan Lyon, while Chris Woakes was the last wicket to fall taken by Cameron Green. Australia needs just 20 runs to win and take a 1-0 lead in the series.