A fresh setback has cast serious doubt over Josh Hazlewood’s participation in the rest of the Ashes 2025–26 series. While he began his recovery from a hamstring strain that ruled him out of the first two Tests, the Australian fast bowler recently reported soreness in his Achilles tendon.
Medical staff from Cricket Australia (CA) labelled the issue as “low-grade,” but confirmed it has delayed his rehabilitation. As a result, plans for him to travel to Brisbane and resume training have been cancelled — he will remain in Sydney to continue recovery.
Although the Achilles problem is not considered severe, its timing could rule Hazlewood out of the next few matches. CA’s medical team hopes he’ll be able to start running and bowling next week, but they have yet to commit to a definitive return date. With the series’ third Test scheduled to begin soon in Adelaide, uncertainty looms about whether he’ll be ready to rejoin the squad in time.
Earlier Hamstring Strain Already Kept Him Out
Hazlewood’s troubles began earlier, when he suffered a right hamstring injury during a domestic match for New South Wales (NSW). Initially, precautionary scans returned clear results, giving hope that he might recover quickly enough to feature in the series opener. However, a follow-up scan revealed a hamstring strain, prompting CA to rule him out of the first Test in Perth.
His absence at the start of the series left Australia’s fast-bowling lineup severely understrength, especially since regular captain Pat Cummins was also unavailable. As a result, less-experienced bowlers were drafted in to fill the void for the early matches.
Slim Hope of a Comeback Late in the Series
Despite the double blow of hamstring and Achilles issues, there remains some cautious optimism around Hazlewood’s ability to make a comeback in the latter half of the series. He has already resumed light bowling in the nets in Sydney, raising hopes that he may be fit for selection by the final tests — provided his rehab progresses smoothly.
However, the lack of a clear recovery timeline, coupled with the tight schedule of the series, means any return remains tentative. Many now expect that Hazlewood could miss most, if not all, of the remaining matches unless he recovers significantly sooner than anticipated.
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