Mitch Marsh continues to make the transition from much-maligned allrounder to Australia's mature solution at No.6, having now produced three innings of substance in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of an Ashes series.
Few positions in Australia's Test XI have caused selectors quite as much grief recently as that currently occupied by Marsh, who scored 101 at the SCG in the fifth Test.
Marsh knows it as well as anybody; he was hated by many cricket fans and hounded on social media during an unproductive first phase of his Test career.
The 26-year-old returned from India last year to undergo a shoulder reconstruction and was hit with headlines he was the worst No.6 batsman in the history of Test cricket.
"I read one article last year and that was it. I've completely stopped now," he quipped.
"I've gained a lot of confidence over the last three weeks that the work I did while away from the team is working."
Marsh was one of four Test players to bat at No.6 for Australia last summer -- including three debutants. The spot has been a revolving door since Mike Hussey's retirement in 2013.
Western Australia's captain will end that trend if he continues a hot streak, having already scored half the number of Test tons that Shane Watson managed in his entire career.
Marsh scored centuries in Sydney and Perth, while he helped Australia salvage a draw at the MCG.
One key has been reining in his power hitting during the early stages of knocks.
Marsh's effort at the SCG was the perfect example. He scored three runs from 30 balls then successfully attacked, posting a hundred off 140 deliveries.
"I had to fight probably harder than I have all summer for my first 30 balls, I may as well have batted left handed," Marsh told ABC Radio on Sunday morning.
"I was just really nervous.
"Mason Crane bowled really well to me early on and I was really struggling, so to get through that period and get the rewards later -- it's a good lesson."
Marsh admitted he wouldn't have been capable of producing such composure a year ago, as he told Steve Smith after digging in to score 29 from 166 balls in Melbourne.
MITCH MARSH'S TEST BATTING IMPROVEMENT
* Since latest recall: 320 runs at 106.66 from three Tests
* Prior to latest recall: 674 runs at 21.74 from 21 Tests
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