Australia’s Josh Hazlewood expressed frustration after a calf strain ended his participation in the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The injury occurred during the third Test in Brisbane, forcing the 33-year-old to withdraw after bowling just six overs in the first innings. This followed his return from a “low-grade left side injury” sustained earlier in the series.
Hazlewood’s injury history has been a recurring concern, causing him to miss significant portions of four out of the last six Australian summers, with the exceptions being 2020/21 and 2023/24. “It’s frustrating,” Hazlewood admitted. “I thought I’d ticked every box heading into the Test, but then a random calf strain happened. We’ll dive into it, but it feels like bad timing more than anything.”
Injury Timing Frustrates Hazlewood
While the injury is not severe, the speedster was disheartened by the poor timing, which sidelined him from key matches. “These are 2-3-week injuries, but they always seem to happen before big games,” he said. Hazlewood acknowledged a history of calf and side injuries that have disrupted his playing time over the last two years.
Despite these setbacks, he remains optimistic about returning stronger. “I’ve ticked a lot of boxes in the last 12 months and plan to work on building more resilience in the gym,” he noted. The latest setback ruled him out for the remainder of the India series, leaving Australia to rely on Scott Boland, who boasts an impressive record at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Focus on Sri Lanka Tour
Hazlewood is now targeting a return for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting January 29. “Sri Lanka is the goal now. I won’t rush anything and will focus on getting everything right, even if it means taking extra time,” he stated.
Despite his frustration, Hazlewood remains committed to overcoming his injury challenges. Meanwhile, Boland is expected to step in for the Melbourne Test, bringing his remarkable home record to bolster Australia’s pace attack. Hazlewood’s determination to return fully fit underlines his resolve to contribute significantly in the upcoming fixtures.
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