Cummins hails 'gutsy' Australia as Starc ruled out of Sydney Test

All-rounder Green retired hurt after his index finger was broken by an Anrich Nortje delivery but returned to the crease on day three to score an unbeaten 51, adding to his five-wicket haul earlier.

"[It's] probably a good time to mention all the incredible achievements this week. 'Starcy' with a finger that's going to put him out for a few weeks, to have the bravery to go out and do that,” Cummins said.

“Cam Green, the same, 'guts-ing' it out for us. We saw Steve Smith and Davey [Warner] on day two in 38 degrees — gutsy, gutsy innings.

“It just speaks volumes for the team at the moment. Everyone would do anything for each other so we're in a really good place.”

The Boxing Day Test triumph gave Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead ahead of the third and final match in Sydney, while shoring up top spot in the World Test Championship. South Africa dropped from second place to fourth. 

It also capped an exceptional year for Australia in Test cricket, with Cummins's side winning seven out of 10 matches, including a series win in Pakistan.

After Sydney, Australia will switch focus to the tour of India in February with the Ashes in England to follow.

With veteran opener Warner shrugging off a lean run in a brilliant 200 in the Melbourne heat and a depleted attack still easily able to deal with South Africa, Cummins said he was leading a special Australian team.

“Yeah, probably the best Test team I've played in, just in terms of how well settled everyone is, how well everyone knows their gameplan,” he said.

“In terms of captaining I don't feel like I have to do much at all. Everyone looks after themselves. You just kind of make sure the buses are on time, which the team manager does.

“It's just in a really sweet spot at the moment. We know it's not going to stay like this forever. But I think we can just all kind of sit back and appreciate the place that we are in because it's really special.

“We're having a hell of a lot of fun as well doing it together with some of our best mates.”

Unable to straighten his finger and with blood spattered on his Test whites, Starc got the ball rolling for Australia in the morning by trapping Sarel Erwee lbw for 21 with a trademark swinging yorker that crashed into the opener's front foot.

From there he kept the pressure on, his control barely wavering as the hosts handed South Africa their heaviest defeat in Australia.

Afterward, the 32-year-old remarked that painkillers were a “wonderful thing” and joked that the injury might even have helped him.

“I think it's probably just taken a bit of the pressure onto the ball from my middle finger, which I think actually helped the seam position,” Starc, who took three wickets for the match and scored 10 not out with the bat, said.

“So I might see if they want to leave it for a bit longer.

“Obviously with Green's finger it would have been a big ask. I'm sure [the team] would have been able to do it with just Scotty [Boland], Pat and Nathan [Lyon].

“Just nice to be able to play a role and then contribute in that second innings.”

Green will also miss the Sydney Cricket Ground Test, which starts on January 4.