After beating Pakistan in Sydney on the final day of the Test to sweep the tourists 3-0, it rounded out an up-and-down summer of Test cricket for the Australian side.

Two big losses at the hands of South Africa in November saw Australian cricket at the crossroads, but a third Test win over the Proteas coupled with three straight victories over Pakistan has Darren Lehmann's side looking strong once again.

Here at Zero Wicket we've reviewed Australia's entire Test summer, and we've come up with our top five stories from the series' against South Africa and Pakistan.

4Youngsters step up

Peter Handscomb and Matt Renshaw during day four of the Third Test match between Australia and South Africa at Adelaide Oval on November 27, 2016 in Adelaide, Australia.

Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb have become the inclusions of the summer, as the pair were selected for the third Test against South Africa after the horror show in Hobart.

Renshaw made 10 and 34* in the second Test alongside Handscomb with a maiden half century and scores of 54 and 1*, as the pair used that win to kick start their fantastic individual series' against Pakistan.

Handscomb made two centuries (105 and 110) throughout the series, and became the first player in Test history to go through their first seven innings and not be dismissed on a score under 50.

The 20-year-old opener went one better and registered the highest individual score of the summer by an Aussie, with an impressive 184 against Pakistan in Sydney.

These two are ready for long careers in the baggy green.