Brad Haddin displayed impressive courage during his opening Test series in the West Indies when he played through the pain of a broken finger. Having waited seven years for an opening after gaining one-day international status in 2001, he was not going to return the chance to stamp himself as Adam Gilchrist's long-term replacement. The break to his right ring finger occurred in his debut Test, but he played through the final two games despite being in further discomfort when an infection developed. He eventually succumbed during the one-day series and went home with 16 Test catches and 151 runs at 30.20, including a confident double of 33 and 45 not out in the third contest.

It was a satisfying first-up campaign after he held the most nerve-fraying position in Australian cricket. Once he had seen off the highly rated contenders of Darren Berry, Wade Seccombe and Ryan Campbell, he was the wicketkeeper-in-waiting and was entrusted with warming the seat whenever Gilchrist needed a rest. There were no costly slips and when Gilchrist left Haddin was handed the gloves at the first opportunity. At 30 he still has time - and talent - on his side for a lengthy international career, but following one of the game's greats will not be easy.

The pressure of being No. 2 did not hinder his batting over the past four seasons and his keeping to a New South Wales attack swinging from Brett Lee to Stuart MacGill has remained sharp. In 2004-05 he scored 916 first-class runs at 57.25 while leading the Blues to a one-wicket Pura Cup victory over Queensland and he also posted a limited-overs century for Australia A against Pakistan. A regular leader of Australia's 2nd XI, Haddin backed up in 2005-06 with 617 Pura Cup runs at 51.41 and added another 669 at 55.75 the following year. In last summer's campaign, which was interrupted by national tours to India and a series of one-day appointments, he kept his average above 50 while scoring three hundreds in seven first-class games.

He added nine ODIs in 2007-08, including seven as a specialist batsman, and his top score of 87 not out came during the India series. He was also a tourist for the 2005 Ashes but was used only once as a one-day Supersub and finished the game without having a hit. Haddin, a former Australia Under-19 captain who grew up in Gundagai, began his domestic career in 1997-98 with the Australian Capital Territory in their debut Mercantile Mutual Cup season, and two years later was playing for New South Wales.
Peter English September 2008

• Eight steps to defeat (Nov 11, 2008)
  
• 'Twas brief with much grief (Nov 9, 2008)
  
• The toss and more gloss (Oct 29, 2008)
  
• Haddin ready to step into the cauldron (Sep 26, 2008)
  
• Keeping it real (Sep 3, 2008)
  

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Nov 9, 2008 Shane Watson and Brad Haddin celebrate the fall of Rahul Dravid's wicket © AFP

Nov 9, 2008 Brad Haddin whips off the bails as Sachin Tendulkar struggles to get back in time © Getty Images

Nov 6, 2008 Jason Krejza is mobbed by his team-mates after getting his first Test wicket © Getty Images

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