Jimmy Peirson earns maiden Ashes call-up as backup for Josh Inglish

Australia has been gearing up for the upcoming Ashes series. An uncapped wicketkeeper has been added to the squad as a backup for Josh Inglis.

Queensland’s Jimmy Peirson got a lucky call, and he is likely to earn a ‘Baggy Green’ in the second Ashes Test against England. Inglis won’t be available in that Test as he wanted to remain with his wife during the birth of their first child. In his absence, Peirson will do the wicketkeeping job for his team in the second Test to be played at Lord’s. Inglis is likely to join the team later in the series.

Peirson has so far played in 65 first-class matches and scored six centuries, with an average of 34.75. In recent years, his batting performance has improved significantly.

He played a superb knock of 128 for Australia A in Sri Lanka last year while the visitors were chasing an improbable 370 runs in Hambantota.

Australia has a busy summer this year. First, it has to take on India in the all-important ICC World Test Championship, which starts on June 7; after that, the epic battle of ashes against England will get underway on June 16.