Last Updated on 1 month by Charbel Coorey
Josh Hazlewood is a good chance of playing in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) at the Gabba, but his availability will be clearer by Tuesday or Wednesday.
The pace bowler went through a fitness test at Adelaide Oval on Monday, where he bowled at a high intensity. However, he said how his body responds after cooling down will be crucial to his participation.
How Josh Hazlewood pulls up after fitness test will be key to his availability for the Gabba Test
“I think it’ll be how I pull up in the 24 hours following it really,” Hazlewood said as quoted by cricket.com.au. “It’s just that repetitive (action) and 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 missed Australia’s big win at Adelaide due to a side strain – an injury he has had troubles with in the past. Scott Boland was terrific as his replacement, but given Australia’s consistency with regards to selection over the past few years, Hazlewood will almost certainly slot back in if fit.
Also, Hazlewood has a fine record at the Gabba, taking 37 wickets in eight Tests at an average of 23.76, including 5/57 against India in 2021.
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Average | Strike Rate | 5w |
| 8 | 16 | 37 | 23.76 | 52.16 | 2 |
“Someone of his standing in the game, he loves that wicket up at the Gabba, he comes straight back in,” said former Australia keeper-batsman Brad Haddin on Willow Talk Podcast.
“If this (Adelaide) was the last Test of the summer, I could have potentially run the gauntlet and played,” Hazlewood said. “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.”
Australia’s 10-wicket win in the day/night Test was a huge boost after the loss at Perth. However, Pat Cummins’ team will surely be focused for the Gabba Test given they have won just one of their past ten red-ball Tests at home to India.
