Australia's much-vaunted fast bowling "big three" Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc had a fourth member join the band in 2018-19 in Jhye Richardson. A small man with a whippy, fast arm action and an ability to swing the ball at speeds of 140kph he provides a different trajectory in all three formats.

Having made his one-day debut for Western Australia at the age of 19 in 2015-16, and his Sheffield Shield debut later that season, Richardson was a surprise selection in Australia's T20 squad to play Sri Lanka in February 2017. His call-up came on the back of a productive BBL season in which he collected 11 wickets, and most notably was Player of the Match in the final, when he ran through the Sydney Sixers middle-order and took 3 for 30 to help Perth Scorchers to the title. At the time of his national call-up he had played only one first-class game.

Since then his progression has been rapid. After a good finish to the 2017-18 season where he made his ODI debut against England, he was taken on the infamous Test tour of South Africa and then injuries to the big three paved the way for a national contract and limited-overs tours of England and Zimbabwe. He was part of an attack that was brutalized and was left out of Australia's next two limited-overs series. But he returned to Australia and dominated the Sheffield Shield in late 2018 to get himself back in Australian colours. He took Virat Kohli's wicket three times in three ODIs against India and then made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in February 2019. His pace, swing and control was so impressive that questions were raised as to whether he could replace one of the big three permanently. He bowled and batted well in the limited-overs tour of India, but in the UAE he dislocated his bowling shoulder in the field against Pakistan in Sharjah and was sent home. The injury was not severe and he was selected in the 2019 World Cup squad.
ESPNcricinfo staff