Queensland wicketkeeper-batsman Jimmy Peirson will join the Australian contingent in England ahead of the second test match at Lord's replacing Josh Inglis who will return home for the birth of his child.
Josh Inglis' role in the Australian squad was that of a backup wicketkeeper to first-choice southpaw Alex Carey. Peirson will fill in that position post the first Ashes clash. However, the duration of Peirson's involvement is questioned as Cricket Australia has confirmed that Inglis will return ahead of the third test match of the series.
The choice between Inglis and Peirson has not been easy for the selectors as the latter has been making his case consistently with impeccable showcases of batting and wicketkeeping in the domestic circuit. The 30-year-old Queenslander is considered one of Australia's best pure keepers, also consistently improving with the bat in recent seasons.
Since the dawn of the 2020-21 first-class season, Peirson has averaged 42.56, notching up six centuries batting deep in the middle order. The Brisbane Heat skipper also led his franchise to a KFC BBL final last summer, impressing on every opportunity provided to him.
With Carey cementing himself as Australia's number-one man behind the stumps, post the Tim Paine fiasco, Inglis has been preferred as a deputy due to his versatility across all formats.
"There's one 'keeper in every side so you know who's doing your job, and you know who's going for the same job as you, so you're aware of how they're going,"
"It's great to have that competition. That's what drives you to be the best you can be.
"If someone's pipping you, you want to be better than them. That's certainly one of my great driving factors: I want to be the best, I want to be the next man in.
"These guys are setting their benchmark, and I want to set my benchmark higher, and maybe bring a few other attributes into that as well, through leadership or whatever else," said Peirson to Cricket Australia in 2021.
Peirson was involved in the mini-camp in Brisbane last week and will be eager to utilize an opportunity if Carey injures himself in the series.
