Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc: Australia’s awesome bowling quartet transcending Test greatness

Australia's premier bowling quartet of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc has etched their names in Test cricket history by becoming the first quartet in the format to amass over 600 wickets together, achieving a total of 602 wickets in just 38 Tests. This remarkable feat, recorded in Durban, cements their status among the greatest bowling units of all time.

The quartet shared the wickets almost equally, each contributing roughly 26% of the total, ranging from 139 wickets by Lyon to 158 by Cummins. This distribution of workload highlights the quartet's exceptional balance and synergy, which has proven crucial in maintaining consistency and high performance across various match conditions.

The quartet's success is reflected in Australia's win rate, which significantly increases when all four bowlers are present. In Tests with all four bowlers, Australia achieved a 62.2% win rate, losing only 27% of the matches and drawing the remaining 10.8%. Conversely, when at least one bowler was absent due to injury or other factors, Australia's win rate dropped to 53.8%, with a 29.1% loss rate and 17.1% draws.

This remarkable achievement, achieved by only a few bowling units in Test cricket history, underscores the quartet's unparalleled skill, teamwork, and durability, setting them apart as a rare and extraordinary force in the realm of Test cricket.