Playing injured behind Australia's rise

Aussies celebrate series win in South Africa

Mitchell Johnson has rightly been the hero of the summer with 59 wickets in eight Tests and the profits of Darren Lehmann's appointment have been obvious.

MORE: Australia claim dramatic series victory in South Africa  | Photo Gallery: Third Test

But the scaling back of the rotation policy and bolstering of the physiotherapy department has not been given enough credit.

In the past CA had taken an almost blanket approach to fitness – any sign of injury and they didn't play.

Proof the rotation policy was flawed has been delivered in 2013/14.

Through the Ashes, it was Doctor Peter Brukner who kept Shane Watson on the park for all five Tests despite his ongoing hamstring and groin niggles.

Under the old regime, Shaun Marsh, who set the series up with a century in the first Test, would never have gone to South Africa because of his chronic groin injury.

All bowlers play through pain. But Ryan Harris had defied doctor's order simply by being in South Africa after his knee had disintegrated by the end of the Ashes.

He was the hero on the final day Newlands, in many respects that was fitting after a summer of pain-defying toil.

In captain Michael Clarke's words, Harris would "run through a brick wall for me and for this team".

Harris arrives home in Brisbane on Friday, heads to Melbourne on Monday, and will have bone spurs and floating bone removed from his knee on Tuesday.

The hobbling hero could barely move on Thursday morning as the Aussies celebrated long into the night.

But even if he never bowls again, Harris will be remembered for greeting his teeth and help to drag Australia back to the top.

If players had not have played injured this summer the story could have been vastly different.

Instead Australia have set themselves up for another stint at the top of the world.

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