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On that occasion he took a blow to the head in training with Victoria, which also delayed his return to Sheffield Shield cricket.

"We felt really blessed to have so many experienced options and guys that are coming off really strong performances in Shield cricket," said Cummins.

When he played a first couple of tentative Tests in late 2018, it came off the back of a few years of Sheffield Shield cricket averaging in the low 30s, and a dearth of domestic batting that meant any player stringing together a couple of scores was in with some chance for higher honours.

And indeed Sheffield Shield cricket matches were played on Christmas Day until the late 1960s, and the Third Test between Australia and the West Indies in 1951 included action on 25 December.

After a long and successful career in Sheffield Shield cricket, the bespectacled opening batsman made his debut against India in Perth in 2008.