With reports suggesting the return of Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood for the third test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, the 33-year-old has said that his availability will be determined ‘how he pulls up in 24 hours’ for the selection.
Hazlewood suffered a side strain injury during the first test and has been ruled out for the second test against India. After suffering a 1-0 defeat, Australia levelled the series after a 10-wicket victory at Adelaide.
With speculations raised on the availability of his potential return for the third tests, Hazlewood said, “I think it’ll be how I pull up in the 24 hours following it really.”
“Obviously two spells makes a big difference. Cooling down pretty much fully and then going again in the same day, and the intensity has got to be right up there as well.
“So a few boxes to tick, but it’s probably the 24 hours that follow and pulling up again the next day and then thinking ‘yeah, I’d be right to go again if I had to’.”
Hazlewood has been laid low by a series of fitness concerns in the recent past between december 2021 and June 2023, he featured in just four tests for Australia.
The fast bowler opined that the current injury felt different and that he could have pushed to play in Adelaide.
“It’s not necessarily your typical side strain, which I’ve had a couple in my career,” he said.
“It’s caused me a lot of trouble over the last few years, but perfect prep this year [coming into the Perth Test]. “I played the Shield game and ticked all that off and I was very happy where I was and it still happened, so I was pretty annoyed for a few days.
“If this [Adelaide Test] was the last Test of the summer, I could have potentially run the gauntlet and played. I think I would have been in a pretty bad state by the end of the game, even though it was only a short game but it just wasn’t quite right.”
“I’m very well aware of the area, and how the feelings are and what sort of pain it is, and how I can get through sessions, and what that means. I guess that makes my decisions a little bit easier, and I know what I can get through and what I can’t and if I’m ready or not. That experience is positive in this regard.”
Josh Hazlewood was the pick of Australia’s bowlers in the defeat in Perth and his absence in Adelaide has made way for Scott Boland to make his case and victorian grabbed his chance by returning match figures 5/105.
However, After a win, Australia reclaimed their top position in WTC points table. The third game of Australia-India tests will begin on December 14 at The Gabba.
