The Australian captain has got better with age and his scoring feats over the latter part of his career have been among the best in the world.
In his first 24 Tests he averaged only 38.25 and he was as well known for off-field incidents involving alcohol as his batting.
But he would be the first to admit that his wild days are behind him and his greater focus has allowed him to make the most of an extraordinary natural talent. In the 30 Tests before this summer's Ashes series he averaged over 75.
Another significant quality he possesses is his appetite for huge scores. Three of his last four hundreds, and four of his last seven, have been converted into double-hundreds, so England would be well advised to get him out early.
In fact early in his innings his footwork can expose him to lbw shouts as he has a tendency to walk across his stumps.
When set, he's a naturally aggressive batsman who plays fast bowling beautifully. He's also a dead-eye fielder from the point region.
His captaincy style is very different from Steve Waugh's hard-nosed approach, and he has even spoken about how "the side's behaviour is improving". In Australia this has exposed him to some criticism of his leadership as being too soft.
|
Michael Slater's verdict: