“Gutsy” is how Australian captain Pat Cummins described his side’s win in the Boxing Day Test, to notch Australia’s first series win on home soil against South Africa since the summer of 2005-06.

Australia were dominant, winning by an innings and 182 runs after taking the nine required wickets before tea on day four.

David Warner was named man of the match, and Cummins said he was one of a number of players who showed grit in the win.

“I thought the way the two veterans of our side, Davey Warner and Steve Smith, batted in the heat was as gutsy cricket as you’re ever going to get,” Cummins said post-match.

“Then for Starcy to come out with a pretty big injury, to come and bowl like he did, Green to put his injured hand in pain to bat like he did to set up the game for us, really proud of this team.

“South Africa [and Australia] have had some wonderful contests over the years. I don’t think we’ve won a series in [nearly] 20 years on home soil. That’s sweet and super proud of how we gutted it out at times and [how] the boys played.”

Attention will quickly turn towards the Sydney Test, and while Cummins said he had some thoughts already on what the squad could look like, he wasn’t giving anything away.

“Obviously, we’ve got four or five days,” he said.

“[We’ll] probably bring in a few new squad members with Starcy and Green missing Sydney.”