In the wake of Australia's ball-tampering scandal Pat Cummins became arguably the nation's shining light in a cricketing sense. He took match figures of 9 for 141 against South Africa in Johannesburg - the scene of his debut as an 18-year-old in 2011 - after Australia's world had fallen in on them in Cape Town, and then stood tall in the rebuild over the next 12 months.

He was absent through the various 2018 winter tours due to a back injury but was monumental in the losing home Test series against India and was subsequently rewarded with the Test vice-captaincy against Sri Lanka. He became the No. 1 ranked Test bowler in the world and claimed Australia's coveted Allan Border Medal as the 2018-19 cricketer of the year. Cummins burst onto the scene with a sensational Test debut as an 18-year-old, taking a match total of seven wickets to set up a thrilling two-wicket win to square the series against South Africa at the Wanderers. He had made his debut for New South Wales during the 2010-11 season and was particularly impressive in his maiden Big Bash season - topping the bowling charts with 11 wickets at 14.09, conceding only 6.59 runs an over. Touted to be a future leader of Australia's pace attack, he was offered a central contract for 2011-12, becoming the youngest player to be contracted since the current system was introduced in 1998. And in September 2011 he toured South Africa, where he starred in Johannesburg.

Then injuries struck. He suffered repeated stress fractures in his lower back and did not play another Test for six years, until the 2017 tour of India. But all the pain and rehab of those intervening years appeared to have been worthwhile as his body toughened up to the rigours of international cricket. In 2017-18 he played five consecutive Tests against England followed by four in South Africa, forming a thoroughbred pace trio alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. He played all six Tests in the home summer of 2018-19 but continued to be managed as one of Australia's most valuable assets.
ESPNcricinfo staff