Brad Haddin

Modern Australian wicketkeepers are renowned for being tough and uncompromising, and Brad Haddin was a fitting inheritor of the job held by the likes of Rod Marsh and Ian Healy. His immediate predecessor was Adam Gilchrist, whose presence prevented Haddin from making his Test debut until the age of 30. However, Haddin made up for lost time by eventually becoming vice-captain to Michael Clarke and a key senior figure in a developing side. Never was he more important than in during the 2013-14 Ashes clean-sweep, when he bailed Australia out of tricky positions in every first innings of the campaign. His 493 runs at 61.62 put him second only to David Warner on the run tally and he was nimble behind the stumps, and it was only Mitchell Johnson's reign of terror that prevented Haddin being Player of the Series.

By 2014, he was again Australia's preferred keeper in all three formats after two years earlier being usurped by Matthew Wade in all three. Haddin had originally lost his Test spot to Wade after flying home from the 2012 West Indies tour when his 17-month-old daughter Mia was diagnosed with cancer. At 34, it seemed as though his international career might be over, but Haddin showed his dedication by returning to domestic cricket and winning back his place for the 2013 Ashes tour, when Australia's selectors wanted his experience and poise. Renowned as a loyal team man who could be brusque with the media, Haddin was a valuable lieutenant and sounding board for Clarke during the back-to-back Ashes series.

Haddin's first taste of Test cricket had come in the West Indies in 2008, when he played through the pain of a broken finger. Flaws in his keeping were on show in India in 2008 but his glovework gradually improved, and a batting breakthrough in 2008-09 gave him confidence. In his 16th Test innings he passed 50 for the first time and went on to 169 against New Zealand in Adelaide, showing flashes Gilchrist would have accepted. An important one-day batsman who shuffled around the order, Haddin also had the chance to captain Australia in T20s in 2009 when Ricky Ponting, Clarke and Michael Hussey were rested. He was also starting to prove himself a productive Test run-maker, which continued on the 2009 Ashes tour with 121 in Cardiff and 80 at Lord's, where he also gave up 20 byes as he struggled to deal with the late movement. A broken finger gave Graham Manou an opening at Edgbaston, but Haddin returned for the final two Tests.

He remained a useful batting contributor in 2009-10 but his highlight was the spectacular, one-handed take at full stretch down the legside off Salman Butt. It was a hugely impressive catch that helped Australia to an unbelievable win at the SCG in 2009-10. (New Zealand supporters find it hard to forget the glove-assisted bowled of Neil Broom in a one-day game the previous summer.) Another injury, a batting-related elbow problem, rubbed him out of the Pakistan series in England, where Tim Paine was used, and after 136 in the opening Ashes Test of 2010-11, Haddin endured a more difficult period in 2011. Notably, he was one of the major culprits in Australia's 47 all out in Cape Town, when at 18 for 5 he backed away and tried to drive Vernon Philander on the up through the off side, gifting South Africa a sixth wicket. A lean home series against India followed, before Wade took his place in the West Indies.

A valuable presence in the limited-overs sides, Haddin has scored ODI centuries opening the batting. He is a clean, effortless hitter and his lofted straight drive is among the best shots in the game. He made his ODI debut in 2001 but had to see off the likes of Darren Berry, Wade Seccombe and Ryan Campbell to become keeper-in-waiting behind Gilchrist. A former Australia Under-19 captain who grew up in Gundagai, Haddin began his domestic career in 1997-98 with the ACT Comets in their debut Mercantile Mutual Cup season. Two years later he was playing for New South Wales, and played in their successful Pura Cup/Sheffield Shield finals of 2002-03 and 2007-08, and captained them to the title in 2004-05.
ESPNcricinfo staff