Handscomb was a talented junior tennis player, but eventually chose to pursue cricket.[1] He played for Victoria at both under-17 and under-19 level,[2] and went on to play for the Australian under-19 cricket team during the Sri Lankan under-19 team's tour of Australia in October 2009.[3]
Handscomb's break-through first class season occurred for Victoria in 2014–15, when he scored three centuries and averaged 53.91. He also made his mark in the Big Bash League playing for Melbourne Stars, scoring an unbeaten century against the Perth Scorchers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[10] His century was the first time he had passed a score of 25 in the BBL, and he was the only batsman to pass 20 in his side's three-wicket win. He played county cricket for Gloucestershire during 2015, and began touring with Australia A, becoming captain of the team in early 2016.[11] In August 2019, Handscomb replaced Cameron Bancroft, who had been called up to the Australian squad, in the Durham squad in 2019 Vitality Blast.[12]
He captained Middlesex during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
International career
Handscomb on Test debut at the Adelaide Oval against South Africa in 2016
In November 2016, immediately after Handscomb's maiden first-class double century against New South Wales[11] and amidst the backdrop of Australia's disastrous home series loss against South Africa and the retirement of chairman of selectors Rod Marsh,[13] Handscomb was one of several players brought into Australia's Test team ahead of the dead rubber third Test against South Africa.[14] He made his Test debut on 24 November 2016,[15] and was presented his baggy green cap by Chris Rogers.[16]
Batting at number five, Handscomb made an impressive start to his Test career, scoring 399 runs at an average of 99.75 across the remaining four home Tests of the summer: one against South Africa and three against Pakistan. He scored his maiden Test hundred (105) in the first Test against Pakistan at the Gabba, in a 172-run partnership with skipper Steve Smith,[17][18] and followed it with 110 in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Handscomb became the first batsman in history to score his maiden Test century in a Day/Night Test match. With half-centuries in the other two matches, Handscomb became the second Australian Test cricketer to score a half century in each of his first four Tests,[19] and was not dismissed for less than fifty in any innings.
Handscomb was dropped from the Australian team during the 2017-18 Ashes series in Australia.[20] He was recalled when three batmen were suspended due to the 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal, and played four more tests in 2018 and 2019 before being dropped again.[20]
Handscomb made his One Day Internationals (ODI) debut in Perth on 19 January 2017 against Pakistan,[21] and was presented his ODI cap by Adam Gilchrist.[22] In his debut innings, Handscomb was caught behind for 0, but it was shown that the bowler, Junaid Khan had bowled a no-ball. He went on to score 82 in Australia's successful chase of 264 against Pakistan, the third highest debut score by an Australian in an ODI. On 30 January 2017, Handscomb deputised for Matthew Wade as wicket-keeper against New Zealand.[23]
In April 2018, Handscomb was awarded a national contract by Cricket Australia for the 2018–19 season.[24][25] In February 2019, he was named in Australia's Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series against India.[26] He made his T20I debut for Australia against India on 24 February 2019.[27]
In March 2019, Handscomb scored his first century in an ODI, with 117 against India at Mohali.[28]
In February 2023, he was selected for the Australian Test team for the first time in four years, playing all four Tests of the Australian tour of India.
Playing style
As a batsman, Handscomb plays very deep in his crease, close to the stumps. While the intention of this technique is to get more time to react to the ball, it makes him vulnerable against pace bowlers with sideways movements (inswingers and off cutters from right-hand bowlers). This issue is further exacerbated by his tendency to change his batting guard during his innings. This issue was exposed during his recall to the Test team in 2018 against India, where Australian legend Shane Warne likened him to a "lamb to the slaughter" and in the 3rd test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, his home Test, he was dropped from the Test team.[30][31]
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