Now that a bumper summer of ups and downs in the Test arena has come to an end we can look back at how all the Australian Test players fared across the board.

One thing becomes clear immediately; Australia used a lot of players over two series.

Here we rate each player out of 10 for his contribution over the series against South Africa and Pakistan.

Jackson Bird: 7 (13 wickets in 3 matches)

Unlucky not be picked from the start of the summer and unlucky to be dropped for the final Test in Sydney, but when he did take the field he did his job well.

Bird was particularly impressive in the first innings in Melbourne, while the rest of the bowlers largely floundered. If ever given a decent run in the team, he could be an excellent Test bowler.

Joe Burns: 0 (1 run in 1 Test)

After a strong start, Burns' Test career came crashing back to earth in 2016 — dropped after the Sri Lanka series and then, after returning in place of the injured Shaun Marsh, the Queensland opener only managed one run in the Bellerive Bloodbath.

Hilton Cartwright: 5 (37 runs, 0 wickets in 1 Test)

No complaints, but the man drafted in as an all-rounder to lighten the load on Australia's bowling load was only called on to bowl four total overs, returning 0-15.

Cartwright's batting was solid, making his way to 37 as Australia belted 538 against Pakistan in the first innings at the SCG.

Mickey Edwards: 1 (0 runs, 0 wickets in 0 Tests)

Glorious ... Mickey Edwards stood tall on day five at the SCG. ( AAP: Paul Miller )

A hero when we needed him most. A 21st century Warwick Capper. A golden-haired sub of (possibly) limitless potential. Must go to India.

Callum Ferguson: 0 (4 runs in 1 Test)

Bad running cost him his wicket in the first innings against the Proteas in Tasmania and an horrific 'shot' saw him dismissed in the second. Probably a one-Test player, but hey, it's more than you'll ever play.

Peter Handscomb: 9 (399 runs in 4 Tests)

Debuted in Adelaide, at which point he raised alarms with his unorthodox, back-foot technique. Four Tests and two centuries later, most people had agreed he probably knew more about his own game than the punters did.

Looks an absolute natural in the Test arena, a welcome addition to a once-fragile middle order. The lad's averaging 99.75 for goodness' sake. Let's hope he can take this form to India.

Revelation ... Peter Handscomb. ( AAP: Dan Himbrechts )

Josh Hazlewood: 9 (32 wickets in 6 matches)

Mitchell Starc often gets the headlines, but Hazlewood is the real star of Australia's pace cartel. Splendidly consistent, always probing and with just the right amount of movement. The Glenn McGrath comparisons aren't really that ridiculous.

A wonderful summer from a wonderful bowler. His reward? Four Tests on Indian dustbowl pitches.

Usman Khawaja: 8 (581 runs in 6 matches)

The scapegoat in Sri Lanka, Khawaja was one of the few batsmen to show anything of substance in the disastrous first two Tests against South Africa. A 97 in Perth kept him his spot, and by Adelaide he had rewarded the selectors' faith.

Elegant, technically secure and a treat to watch, Khawaja has come into his own in the Test arena and will be a key cog in any potential success in India. Also hits a lit dab.

Nathan Lyon: 5 (17 wickets in 6 matches)

Nathan Lyon became an unlikely cult hero. ( AP: Rick Rycroft )

It's pretty difficult to judge Nathan Lyon's summer. His bowling was up and down at best, though the ups — like terrific spells in Adelaide and Melbourne to set up Aussie wins — were rather good.

But his main contribution to the summer was the birth of one of its great memes. Garry became Australian cricket's main attraction, and that wicket on the third ball on Boxing Day, ruining a legitimate world record attempt, was something to bore the grandkids with.

Nic Maddinson: 1 (27 runs in 2 matches)

Yeah, this one didn't really work out.

He debuted alongside Handscomb and Renshaw, which probably made his failures stand out even more, but Maddinson didn't quite look at the required level through his three Tests. No reason to suggest he can't improve and give it another crack, though.

Mitchell Marsh: 2 (26 runs and 2 wickets in 1 match)

Easy to forget he played in that first Test in Perth, contributing little else other than a heap of rage on Twitter.

He's still probably Australia's best all-rounder though. Ask yourself this — would you prefer Mitch Marsh or Hilton Cartwright in the Test team?

Future uncertain ... Shaun and Mitchell Marsh. ( AAP: Dave Hunt )

Shaun Marsh: 5 (78 runs in 1 match)

Oh yeah, he played in Perth as well! That Test really does seem an age ago.

Injury forced him out, and some strong batting performances from the incumbents kept him out. Not to worry, looks like selectors will be quick to make room for him in India.

Joe Mennie: 1 (1 wicket in 1 match)

Didn't take a million wickets in a hopeless cause in Hobart, and has henceforth been thrown into the Australian fast-bowler's scrapheap.

There is a good bowler in there and Mennie didn't get a chance to show it in his one Test. Who knows if he'll ever get another opportunity.

Peter Nevill: 5 (92 runs in 2 matches)

Kept excellently, showed dogged resistance with the bat when his top-order failed and looked every bit a long-term Test keeper.

Dropped for an inferior wicketkeeper after two Tests of the summer. You have to feel sorry for Peter Nevill, he was one of the real unlucky ones this season.

Steve O'Keefe: 4 (4 wickets in 1 match)

It can be hard to pin point exactly what it is Steve O'Keefe does, but the selectors seem to like it. There's no question he is Australia's number-two spinner.

Did a job in Sydney, but will need to raise his level again if Australia is to have any chance in India.

Matt Renshaw: 8 (315 runs in 4 matches)

Matt Renshaw showed skill and patience beyond his years after a shock call-up. ( AAP: David Moir )

It's been a very long time since Australian cricket has seen a young top-order batsman with the temperament and technique of Renshaw. His first four Tests should be enough to have selectors lock his name in for years to come.

But he seems to suffer from not being David Warner, his strike-rate pored over like few others. He could hardly have done his job better when called upon this summer and surely that's enough for him to start in India.

Peter Siddle: 3 (3 wickets in 1 match)

Have we seen the last of one of Australia's great workhorse quicks? His body seems to be falling apart with greater regularity, and age might be catching up with him.

But we've written Siddle off before and he's returned to do a job for his country. Will that Perth Test be Siddle's last?

Steve Smith: 9 (653 runs in 6 matches)

Steve Smith fired up his troops after the Hobart loss. ( AP: Rick Rycroft )

A really special player, Smith seemed reinvigorated by the changes to the side after the Hobart debacle. He started bashing seemingly effortless hundreds again, perhaps starting to feel like the captain of an Australian Test team that was truly his own.

He would make himself a legend if he could orchestrate a series win in India, but he needs to be commended for this summer first.

Mitchell Starc: 8 (180 runs, 28 wickets in 6 matches)

Incredibly, Starc is still improving his craft. He has untouchable spells, normally when the ball is swinging, where he looks every bit the best fast bowler in the world. But on other days, he can look pedestrian.

The latter is becoming less frequent though, with this probably Starc's most consistent summer. He was very good.

Adam Voges: 1 (30 runs in 2 matches)

Like many others on this list, we've probably seen the last of Voges in the Test arena. He had a good run — a really good run, all things considered —but age seems to be catching up to him.

Injuries are slowing him down and he didn't look sharp enough against South Africa. Still, we'll always have the memories of him tearing the West Indies to shreds last summer.

Matthew Wade: 2 (50 runs in 4 matches)

Wade was brought in to the team under the assumption he would bat better than Peter Nevill. He didn't. It was also presumed he would keep at least as well as Peter Nevill. He didn't.

Had it been Wade who started the summer in the team, he likely would have made way when the great reshuffle came after Hobart. As it stands, he looks a near-permanent fixture in the team off the back of ... not much.

David Warner: 7 (592 runs in 6 matches)

Started slowly against South Africa, but exploded into life when Pakistan came to town, culminating in that magical first morning in Sydney.

No opening batsman in the world can be as dangerous as Warner, but dismissals like the one in Hobart are a valid counter-argument to his style. As long as the runs are coming, we can forgive him some missteps.