It would be hard to make an argument that the best four bowlers in Australia are anyone but Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. All four are in Australia’s top 10 Test wicket-takers, the first two closing on 300 scalps and the latter two comfortably past it. Collectively, their tally is 1443.
Since they first combined in the 2017-18 Ashes they have played 31 Tests together, by far an international record for any frontline quartet. Even with injuries and changed configurations in touring conditions, that makes almost half of Australia’s 64 Tests in that period, including 23 of 36 at home.
