Three-time World Cup winner Adam Gilchrist has strongly endorsed Alex Carey as Australia's one-day wicketkeeper-batsman and has also backed opener Aaron Finch to take over the ODI captaincy.

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Gilchrist says Carey, the South Australian who made his international debut last summer, was a "superstar" who should be given the gloves for Australia's limited-overs tour of the UK next month ahead of their World Cup defence next year.

Tim Paine, who was elevated to the Test captaincy after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, is technically Australia's incumbent ODI keeper having taken over from Matthew Wade for the series against England last January.

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Carey stepped in for one match in that England series when Paine was ill and Gilchrist says he's seen enough already to be sure the 26-year-old can handle the job full-time.

"It looked like the most smooth transition to international cricket that I can remember for a long time," Gilchrist told Fox Sports of Carey's debut in Brisbane.

"He played that one-day match up at the Gabba and looked like he belonged there. He's a superstar.

"I think he has to play in the 50-over format and that will allow Tim Paine to carry out this role, this extra responsibility that he has in Test cricket."

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Carey, who also played all matches in Australia's unbeaten T20 tri-series campaign last February, was a new addition to Cricket Australia's central contract list that was announced in April, indicating selectors already have him in mind for higher honours this year.

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Carey pushed himself onto the selectors' radar with a breakout KFC BBL campaign last summer, where he was the tournament's second-leading run-scorer. He also averaged 38 in the JLT Sheffield Shield, including his maiden first-class hundred, and averaged 33 as an opener in one-day cricket for South Australia.

And Gilchrist says the left-hander's glovework is also up to international standard.

"He's a gun, he's a gun in all facets," Gilchrist said.

"He's a very, very capable gloveman. He's very athletic and strong ... he's fit, he's a terrific young man and he bats beautifully, too. We saw that in the Big Bash were he dominated throughout and performed well."

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Australia are set to announce Steve Smith's replacement as one-day captain in the coming weeks and Finch, part of the 2015 World Cup-winning side, has emerged as a leading contender for the role.

While some former players have questioned the wisdom of making a wicketkeeper like Paine Test skipper, Gilchrist pointed to Indian legend MS Dhoni as an example of a gloveman who has handled the triple responsibility of keeping, batting and captaining at Test level.

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But the 46-year-old said Paine shouldn't be part of the one-day team moving forward.

"Tim Paine is right to do that (in the Test team), but I think Finch should and would captain the one-day team for the moment and Carey should play."

Qantas ODI Tour of England

June 7 Warm-up v Sussex, Hove (D/N)

June 9 Warm-up v Middlesex, Lord's

June 13 First ODI, The Oval (D/N)

June 16 Second ODI, Cardiff

June 19 Third ODI, Trent Bridge (D/N)

June 21 Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24 Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27 Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)