James Faulkner is an Australian cricketer who is known for being one of the team’s best bowlers. Faulkner, the son of former Tasmania all-rounder Peter Faulkner, was born on April 29, 1990, and is considered as one of the finest young Australian all-rounders.
Background
Faulkner began his career as a leg-spin bowler, but as he got older, he switched to seam bowling. He became a lethal bowler by incorporating wrist-spin into his pace bowling.
He was chosen to play for the Tasmania U-19 state team and captained the Tasmania U-17 team. He was a member of Australia’s U19 squad that played in the 2008 ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup.
Debut
On the 1st of February 2012, James Faulkner made his T20I debut against India in Sydney. A year back, he made his One Day International (ODI) debut against the West Indies in Perth. And though he struggled in T20Is, he was outstanding in ODIs.
Faulkner was called upon for his first test match during Australia’s Ashes campaign in 2013. Faulkner made an impression on his debut with six wickets and an outstanding 25 low down the order in a drew at the Oval.
Rise to glory
Faulkner’s first-class cricket success was consistent, and he was called up to the national team on a regular basis. In the 2012-13 Shield Season, James took 39 wickets at an average of 20.33, including three five-wicket hauls. He scored 444 runs at a 34.15 average, highlighting his all-round ability.
He had a superb final performance against Queensland, taking four wickets and leading his team to a 446-run mark, which was enough to win the match. He became an inseparable member of the ODI squad thanks to his composed personality and all-rounder abilities.
On November 2, 2013, in Bengaluru, Faulkner scored his first ODI century off just 57 balls against India. His century was the second-fastest by an Australian batsman in history (after Glenn Maxwell).
Faulkner took three wickets in the 2015 Cricket World Cup final against New Zealand, conceding 39 runs in nine overs to help Australia bowl out the opposition for 183 runs. Faulkner was appointed Man of the Match as Australia chased down the goal to take the trophy.
Club Career
Faulkner has a long record of success at the club level. He has represented Rajasthan Royals, Pune Warriors India, Kings XI Punjab, and Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League. He also plays in the Big Bash League for the Melbourne Stars.
Surprisingly, at the 2018 IPL auctions, the all-rounder went unsold. His starting price was Rs. 2 crore.