Sean Abbott

Sean Abbott has developed into one of the most versatile bowling allrounders in Australian domestic cricket.

A wicket-taking medium-fast bowler who also strikes the ball cleanly with the bat, he made his return to international cricket late in 2019 against Pakistan in T20 cricket after a five-year absence. It was a worthy reward for several outstanding seasons with the Sydney Sixers in the BBL where he was one of the most prolific wicket-takers in the competition and specialised in the death overs.

He also became a key figure in New South Wales' Sheffield Shield side consistently taking wickets and providing lower-order runs, playing a crucial part in the Blues 2019-20 title. He was included in Australia's limited-overs tour to England in 2020 but didn't play. He returned to Australia and dominated the start of the Sheffield Shield season. He took 6 for 89 against WA and scored two half-centuries and his maiden first-class century against Tasmania to earn selection in Australia's limited-overs and Test squads for the 2020-21 home series against India.

The allrounder debuted for New South Wales at the age of 18. He enjoyed his breakthrough season in 2013-14 when he topped the Ryobi Cup wicket tally with 16 wickets at 20.93. His strong all-round season also brought him 27 Sheffield Shield wickets and he won the Steve Waugh Medal as the best New South Wales player of the season. Abbott was rewarded with a call-up to Australia's one-day and Twenty20 squads to play Pakistan in the UAE in 2014. Less than two months after that, Abbott bowled the ball which fatally hit Phillip Hughes, but he came back from that tragedy remarkably well, taking 6 for 14 against Queensland on his return to first-class cricket, just 17 days later.
ESPNcricinfo staff