Australia’s star fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has shared his thoughts on the unique situation that saw the country’s top pacers feature in all seven Tests during the previous home season. He acknowledged that it was likely a rare scenario and might not happen again in the upcoming summer.
Hazlewood emphasized that fitness remains the key determinant of player selection, saying, “If you’re fit, you play; if you’re not, you don’t.” Australia’s bowling attack remained consistent during the 2023/24 season, with Cameron Green as the fifth option, but Green is out for the upcoming season due to back surgery.
Hazlewood on Test Bowling Challenges
Hazlewood highlighted the unpredictable nature of Test cricket, where bowlers cannot plan their workload in advance.
He contrasted the longer format with T20 and One-Day matches, where overs are fixed. “You could bowl 50 overs or 25, so there’s no point in planning for it,” Hazlewood explained. Reflecting on the previous summer’s unchanged bowling lineup, he said, “It was probably a one-off… it’s literally making a call the day before.” Hazlewood and Australia’s Test captain, Pat Cummins, are preparing for the white-ball series against Pakistan and the five Tests against India by playing in New South Wales’ One-Day Cup match.
Scott Boland’s Potential Return
Looking ahead to the five-Test series against India starting in November, Hazlewood believes that pacer Scott Boland could make a significant contribution. Boland, who has not played a Test since the Ashes series in July 2023, is expected to return to form soon. “He said he was a little rusty going in, but slowly got better,” Hazlewood remarked after exchanging texts with Boland.
Hazlewood expressed confidence in Boland’s ability to perform, praising his competitive spirit and predicting that he will play a key role either in the upcoming series or future overseas Test tours. “He’s a great guy to have around the group and a really good competitor,” Hazlewood added.
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