Australia's Test year: the batsmen

With April 1 marking the annual cut-off date for the International Cricket Council's Test rankings, here's a look back at the 25 players who donned the Baggy Green over the past 12 months, and how they fared across 13 Tests in what was a tumultuous year for Australian cricket - starting with the batsmen.

Quick single: Twists and turns in Test year to remember

David Warner

Matches: 13 | Runs: 948 | Average: 37.92 | SR: 84.11 | HS: 144 | 100s: 2 50s: 4

The highpoint of David Warner’s year in the Baggy Green came against Pakistan, when he scored back-to-back centuries in Melbourne and Sydney, while he fell three runs short of a ton against South Africa at the WACA. Only skipper Steve Smith scored more Test runs than Australia’s vice-captain, who was also one of just four players – alongside Smith, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon – to feature in all 13 Tests over the past 12 months.

Joe Burns

Matches: 3 | Runs: 35 | Average: 5.83 | SR: 38.88 | HS: 29

Burns was dropped after two Tests during Australia's tour of Sri Lanka after making 34 runs at 8.5 from four innings, but earned a reprieve after Shaun Marsh was ruled out of the second Test against South Africa with a broken finger picked up in Perth. However, his return was short-lived, dropped again after returning scores of 1 and 0 against the Proteas in Hobart.

Matthew Renshaw

Matches: 8 | Runs: 547 | Average: 42.07 | SR: 43.34 | HS: 184 | 50s: 3

A surprise pick in the wake of Australia's five straight Test defeats, the young opener has enjoyed a strong start to his Test career, scoring his maiden ton – a superb 184 – against Pakistan at the SCG in his fourth Test, before continuing to impress in India.

Steve Smith

Matches: 13 | Runs: 1399 | Average: 63.59 | SR: 55.18 | HS: 178no | 100s: 6 | 50s: 4

Australia’s skipper has only enhanced his reputation as the world’s best batsman with another incredible 12 months with the bat. Of his 20 Test tons, six came in the last 12 months – against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Pakistan in Brisbane and Melbourne, before his three centuries against India, scored in Pune, Ranchi and Dharamsala.

Usman Khawaja

Matches: 8 | Runs: 636| Average: 45.42 | SR: 52.86 | HS: 145 | 100s: 1 50s: 5

It was a topsy-turvy 12 months for Khawaja. Australia’s third highest run scorer behind Smith and Warner, Khawaja was dropped for the third Test in Colombo after scoring 26, 18, 11 and 0 in the opening two matches. He returned for the first Test of the home summer in Perth, posting one century and five fifties in six matches against South Africa and Pakistan, but again found himself on the sidelines in India, with Australia’s selectors instead opting for ‘subcontinent specialist’ Shaun Marsh.

Shaun Marsh

Matches: 6 | Runs: 382 | Average: 31.83 | SR: 36.14 | HS: 130 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 3

Recalled to the Australia XI for the third Test in Sri Lanka, Marsh scored a century upon his return. But his home summer took a turn for the worst after breaking a finger in the opening Test at the WACA, Marsh forced to sit out the remainder of the series against South Africa and the three Tests against Pakistan that followed. Recalled for the four-Test series in India, Marsh scored two half-centuries – including one under immense pressure to guide Australia to a draw in Ranchi – but reached double figures in just three of his eight innings on the subcontinent.

Adam Voges

Matches: 5 | Runs: 148 | Average: 14.80 | SR: 35.66 | HS: 47

Voges lost his spot in Test side in November after suffering a concussion while batting for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield and has since announced his retirement from state cricket. However, he walks away with a Test average of 61.87, the second-highest of all time for players to have played 20 or more Tests, behind only the legendary Sir Donald Bradman.

Callum Ferguson

Matches: 1 | Runs: 4 | Average: 2.00 | SR: 17.39 | HS: 3

Ferguson was presented with his Baggy Green in Hobart, but was run out on three in his first Test innings before being dismissed for one in his second as Australia crumbled to a disastrous inning-and-80-run defeat against South Africa. Drastic changes for made for the final Test in Adelaide, with Ferguson among those dropped.

Nick Maddinson

Matches: 3 | Runs: 27 | Average: 6.75 | SR: 34.61 | HS: 22

It was a tough start to life in the Baggy Green for Maddinson, who was dismissed for a duck in his first innings in Adelaide, before posting scores of 1, 4 and 22 in the first two Tests against Pakistan. When Australia reverted back to fielding an allrounder at No.6 for the final Test at the SCG, Maddinson was dropped.

Pete Handscomb

Matches: 8 | Runs: 597 | Average: 54.27 | SR: 451.46 | HS: 110 | 100s: 2 | 50s: 3

Called into the XI after Australia’s calamitous loss in Hobart, Handscomb scored a half-century on debut in Adelaide and followed up with two centuries and a fifty in the three Tests against Pakistan. He made starts without going on in his first five innings in India, but a substantial score came when Australia sorely needed it: an unbeaten 72 to save the third Test in Ranchi.