Cricket is a game of highs and lows - anyone who has ever played the game at any level knows that.
And at the ripe-old age of 23, Cameron Green has gone from a lean summer to a Boxing Day five-wicket haul and a massive payday following the IPL auction.
Green went for $3 million AUD to the Mumbai Indians just days before Australia's second Test against South Africa, putting the spotlight firmly on the rising star.
But his performance with the ball on the opening day of play in front of almost 65,000 fans at the MCG proved that Green is more than capable of handling the pressure, finishing with figures of 5/27 as the Proteas were dismissed for 189 runs.
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Speaking to the media after the first day in Melbourne, Green admitted the last few days have reminded him about the rollercoaster nature of the sport.
“That’s probably cricket summed up – you can have a really slow start to the summer, but then you have a few days like this and it kind of brings you back," he said.
"At the same time, when you go through a high, cricket can bring you back down.
“It probably hasn’t sunk in…it’s a very special feeling [taking five-fa on Boxing Day] - I’m sure I will remember that for a very long time.
“I hadn’t really put too much thought into it [the auction] – the main focus for the team is on Test cricket. You always look forward to it throughout the whole summer.
“I didn’t do much to earn that, I just put my name into the auction and it just happened.
"It doesn’t change who I am or how I think and all the confidence I have in my cricket."
But the West Australian knows that trying to focus too hard on being perfect at both aspects of his game at all times isn't going to be sustainable at Test level.
“I think it’s tough if you are trying to do both equally," he said.
"You have to try and prioritise one of them, otherwise you are going to put too much pressure on yourself if you try too hard at both.
"I try and prioritise my batting in the weeks leading up to a game, and one gameday you have hit plenty of balls that week, so game day is basically prioritising your bowling and getting your body right...that’s kind of how I go about it.
“I think your priorities change - you take a lot of care in your bowling when you are just a bowler, you are bowling 20 overs an innings and you don’t have to fight that.
"That’s probably the main difference – the reduced overs and not knowing how you are really going and trying to find that when you’ve bowled two or three-over spells.
"In saying that, when you are only bowling two or three-over spells, you have got a pretty good attack behind you.
"I’m very grateful that I’m bowling behind the four best bowlers in the world, in my opinion."
Green was as humble and quietly-spoken as you would expect regarding his massive IPL pricetag, but that hasn't stopped his teammates from throwing some banter his way.
David Warner revealed on Fox Cricket coverage that Green is looking to purchase an iPad as part of his new-found wealth, while fellow opening batsman Usman Khawaja let the all-rounder know it was all in good fun.
“The players can bring you back down pretty quickly," Green said.
"It’s a good group we’ve got at the moment, everyone gets around you when they need to. Everyone’s focus was on Boxing Day – it’s a fixture that you point out at the start of the year and look forward to.
“I try and brush it all aside to be fair, I’m not trying to read too much into it.
"Uzzy has been onto me, but he basically came up to me and let me know it’s all very light humour and 'it’s because I love you and I'm happy for you'.
"The boys have been really good."
