The win at The Oval means Australia has won every major cricket trophy, but only 3 players played every match.

Smith, Warner and Starc become the first players in history to win a world championship in all three formats.

The Australian team celebrates with the World Test Championship mace in the changing room at The Oval in London on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

After Australia’s convincing World Test Championship win at The Oval a trio of veterans can lay claim to a unique collection of ­trophies in all three of the game’s formats.

David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith are the only three players in the history of cricket to win a World Test Championship, a World Cup and a T20 World Cup.

The three are the only players to have been in the XI that beat New Zealand to win the 2015 final at the MCG, the same opponent in India in 2021 in the T20 format and be there when the Test championship mace was handed over on Sunday at The Oval.

The triple trophy-winning team may not have the air of Bradman’s 1948 Invincible or the brilliant sides captained by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting at the turn of the most recent century, but it has barely put a foot wrong in Test cricket.

In the 20 Tests of the two-year championship cycle it has lost just three. The team was admirable away and indomitable at home, kicking off with a 4-0 drubbing of England at home and managing to win Tests in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India.

 Captain Pat Cummins, who played the 2015 series, but wasn’t in the final side was asked to choose the side’s greatest achievement after Sunday’s 209-run victory.

“It’s a hard one,” he said. “They all feel a little bit different. We’re just talking about that. No doubt Test matches for us are our favourite format. It’s the biggest challenge I think in every way. This competition pitting up against everyone in the world, it’s got to be right up there.

“I don’t know. It’s probably like trying to pick your favourite kids, but it’s satisfying.”

Smith, rated by Virat Kohli as the best batsman of his generation, set up the World Cup final with his 31st Test century.

Warner manages one of the most difficult tasks: a triple threat at the top of the order in Tests, one-day internationals and T20s.

Starc’s left arm blasted Virat Kohli from the crease in the final, but may yet find himself under pressure to hold his place for the First Test of the Ashes.

Josh Hazlewood impressed coaches and selectors with a full throated hit out in the nets on the last day of the Test championship final and is demanding inclusion for the First Test that starts in Edgbaston on Friday.

Australia has not won an Ashes series in 22 years, but drew the last under Tim Paine.

England, so tepid in the last contest, is playing a bold crash-through-or-crash approach that sees it score at the fastest run rate in cricket history.

The fallout continued from the Cameron Green catch controversy with Indian batsman Shubman Gill fined 15 per cent of his match fee for dissent on social media. The ICC went on a spree fining the Australians 80 per cent of their match fee and India all of theirs for slow over rates.