Josh Hazlewood

Opposing batters knew they were in for a grim examination whenever Josh Hazlewood ran in. His metronomic accuracy, combined with the ability to extract awkward bounce from docile surfaces, made him the most relentless member of Australia's pace attack. At 6ft 5in, Hazlewood pushed batters onto the back foot and forced them to play at balls that threatened both the stumps and the splice of the bat.

A New South Wales product who made his first-class debut as a teenager, Hazlewood broke into the national side in 2010 but appeared only intermittently at first. From his Test debut in 2014, when he took a five-wicket haul against India at the Gabba, he established himself as a cornerstone of Australia's bowling. Often less spectacular than Mitchell Starc's swing or Pat Cummins' pace, he was the one who tied down an end, beating the bat with unerring precision.

His trophy cabinet holds the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup titles, the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2023 World Test Championship, and he was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru side that won the 2025 IPL. His Test record, well past 250 wickets at an average in the mid-20s, underlines his consistency. Injuries have interrupted his later years, but whenever fit he remains one of the most difficult fast bowlers in the world to score off.