Alex Carey had a front-row seat as Australia's ODI side plumbed unprecedented depths over the past month, and made a decision: "I want to be the best player of spin".

Carey is a keen observer of the game, and highly touted for his character and leadership as well as his undoubted talent.

It is why, at age 26 and with just three ODIs and five T20 internationals to his name, he was made vice-captain for the shortest format.

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Given a clear message he would only keep wickets in the ODI series if Tim Paine went down ill or injured, Carey had plenty of time to observe on this Qantas Tour of the UK.

"Sitting on the sidelines was tough watching the boys," Carey said.

"Playing the last few games was a great experience for me, playing in England, a one-day series against the best side in the world.

"I personally took a lot out of it sitting back watching the best side in the world go about their business, and how much work we've all got to do to lift our game."

Carey saw Australia's struggles in the middle order, and against spin. That was the easy part; it was impossible not to notice those frailties as Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid ran rampant with 12 wickets apiece in the five-match ODI series that England swept.

He saw Australia experiment with Aaron Finch in the middle order, a ploy jettisoned after two matches.

He saw a new head coach in Justin Langer eager to make everyone in his squad better, he saw Ricky Ponting join the coaching staff, and he saw Adam Gilchrist, the man who redefined the wicketkeeper-batsman role forever, willing to share his knowledge.

He saw opportunity.

Carey has been among the hardest workers on the training paddock on this tour. Knowing in advance he was not playing gave him freedom to push himself, to be first into the nets, and often back for more later in the long sessions, too.

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And every opportunity he had, he was jostling for position in this squad to hang on the coaching staff's every word. On the sidelines, in the huddles, in the nets.

He had identified an area he could help the team, and he worked at it, tirelessly.

"I want to be the best player of spin," Carey declared. "We've seen through those middle overs we need to be better.

"It doesn't have to be scoring boundaries every ball but at least manipulating the field, being a bit more busy, and getting on top of the spin.

"I've been speaking to 'Punter' (Ponting) about whatever it is that comes up. There's so much I've spoken to him about and (I'm) just trying to take what works for me as well.

"Just taking bits from all these guys (Langer, Ponting, Gilchrist) and trying to put it into my game, without trying to complicate it as well."

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Ponting and Langer have been working intently with the batsmen in the nets, working on technical things like the direction of a back lift, the positioning of feet, keeping elbows high, as well as the mental approach, the tactics, where to score and how.

It could be information overload, but Carey has found a good foil in that in Gilchrist.

"It's more the off-field stuff and just coming into a game with a pretty clear mind of 'What's going to be best for the team to win a game?'" Carey said of his chats with Gilchrist.

"The best part about 'Gilly' is he kept it pretty simple when he played and he's doing the same with the messages he's giving us.

"If there's anything it's just little bits and pieces but it's pretty much 'what's best for our team to win?' and going into games with that mentality.

"It keeps everything else pretty simple."

Qantas tours of the UK and Zimbabwe

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey

Qantas Tour of the UK

June 7: Australia beat Sussex by 57 runs at Hove

June 9: Australia beat Middlesex by 101 runs at Lord's

June 13: England won by three wickets at The Oval

June 16: England won by 38 runs in Cardiff

June 19: England won by 242 runs at Trent Bridge

June 21: England won by six wickets in Durham

June 24: England won by one wicket at Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 8: Final