James Faulkner | Personal Information & Career Record | WC 2015

James Faulkner is a genuine match-winner with both bat and ball. Though he is considered a bowling all-rounder, one cannot overlook the fact that he has won a few matches with the willow in his short career so far. Son of former Tasmania player Peter, Faulkner hails from Ricky Ponting’s town Launceston. In 2008, he made his First-Class debut for Tasmania and made a reputation as a good one-day player. In 2012, he made his debut for Australia in a T20 International against India.
It was the year 2013 that saw Faulkner’s career turn for the better. He started the year with a One-Day International (ODI) debut against West Indies at home and was then picked for a substantial sum by the Rajasthan Royals at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013 auction. The move worked wonders for Faulkner as he picked up 28 wickets at an average of 15.25 in his first season. The year only got better for him as he first donned the Baggy Green during the fifth Test at The Oval.
Faulkner showed his batting abilities during an ODI against India at Mohali in 2013 when he tore apart Ishant Sharma at the death to win the game. In the last game of the series, he smashed a ton in a losing cause. However, his feat of winning the game against England at Brisbane in early 2013 truly showed he is a finisher. With the ball in hand, he unleashes different variations and isn’t the easiest to pick. Rajasthan, not surprisingly, retained him ahead of the IPL 2014.