Peter Handscomb

Two centuries in his first four Tests, and an 82 on ODI debut, promised much for Peter Handscomb. A middle-order batter with unique technique, Handscomb earned his first Test call-up in 2016-17. He immediately showed his comfort by making 54 against South Africa in Adelaide and a maiden century came in his next Test, against Pakistan at the Gabba. By the end of the summer, he was in the remarkable position of having not been dismissed below 50 in any of his first seven innings of Test cricket - the first player in Test history to have achieved that feat.

He debuted in ODI cricket in the same season and then went on the tours of India and Bangladesh, playing vital match-saving and match-winning hands in Ranchi and Chittagong: after ten Tests he was averaging 53.07. But questions about his technique against pace bowling were raised during the 2017-18 Ashes and he lost his place after two Tests. He was recalled in Johannesburg on the infamous tour of South Africa following the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, and looked set to become a permanent fixture following the suspensions of Steve Smith and David Warner, but a poor Australia A tour of India saw him miss selection for the Test series against Pakistan in the UAE in October 2018.

He was then recalled, dropped, recalled and dropped again during the home Test season, but in the meantime, he established himself in the ODI team as an adaptable middle-order player and scored a maiden ODI century to help Australia to a record chase of 359 in Mohali. He was left out of the 2019 World Cup squad despite playing the previous 13 ODIs, because of Smith's return. He was thrown into the side for the semi-final against England as an injury replacement but made only 4 as Australia fell to a heavy defeat.

Four years later he earned a Test recall for the 2023 visit to India - during a season which included a career-best 281 not out against Western Australia - and his unbeaten 72 in Delhi, on a tricky surface, was especially impressive, but somewhat to his frustration he became pigeon-holed for his skills against spin and wasn't selected for the 2023 Ashes. When he didn't make the cut for the 2025 Sri Lanka tour it suggested further opportunities may elude him. However, in close to a three-year period from October 2022, no one in the world had scored more first-class runs than Handscomb.

Handscomb was also a talented junior tennis player but chose a career on the pitch rather than on the court. He captained Victoria to an Australian one-day domestic title in 2018-19.