- JOSH HAZLEWOOD
It is difficult to crack a hazelnut. It’s equally grim to crack this arcane piece of puzzle called Josh Hazlewood. He neither has the pace that a certain Mitchell Johnson nor does he has the impeccable control as exhibited by his compatriot Mitchell Starc. Yet, he has turned out to be a significant cog in the wheel in the Australian team. Like Yasir Shah, Hazlewood too, has come up through the ranks in 2015. The 24 year old lanky pacer from Victoria has grabbed 51 Test wickets in 10 games at a wonderful average of 21.67 with 2 five wicket hauls (his best figures of 6/70 in an innings came against New Zealand in the first ever D/N Test in Adelaide, where he was rightly adjudged the ‘Man of the Match’). What’s pleasing to the Australians is the fact that he has declared himself ready to take on the mantle of spearheading the Aussie bowling attack in the absence of the injured Mitchell Starc and the retired Mitchell Johnson. Australia has a rich legacy of robust, sturdy fast bowlers and Hazlewood’s steady ascendance is expected to enhance the list in the near future.
