Josh Hazlewood is moving closer to regaining full fitness ahead of the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. The 33-year-old fast bowler missed the pink-ball Test due to a low-grade side strain.
He bowled at almost full tilt during his fitness test at the Adelaide Oval. He dished out a couple of spells at good intensity and looked in good shape. However, he admitted that it’s too soon to take a call. The New South Wales pacer wants to give it 24 hours and see how he pulls up.
“I think it’ll be how I pull up in the 24 hours following it really. 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,” Josh Hazlewood was quoted saying to reporters in Adelaide on Monday (December 9).
Hazlewood has had a history of side strains and fitness issues over the last couple of years. For 18 months, between December 2021 and June 2023, Hazlewood played only four Test matches, owing to different injuries. It was a side soreness that led to the tall fast bowler missing the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June 2023.
Since making a comeback in the Ashes 2023, Hazlewood played 12 out of the 13 Tests prior to the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He even featured in a Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales to kickstart preparations for the big series against India. Hence, he felt everything was on track and was annoyed when the injury popped up.
“It’s not necessarily your typical side strain, which I’ve had a couple in my career. It’s caused me a lot of trouble over the last few years, but perfect prep this year (heading into the first Test). I played the (Sheffield) 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,” Hazlewood said.
Hazlewood would’ve played in Adelaide if it was the last Test of the summer

The New South Wales pacer was Australia’s best bowler on display in Perth. He took 4/29 in the first innings before conceding only 28 runs in 21 overs in the second dig. However, the side strain forced him to miss the second Test which was a day-night encounter in Adelaide. Hazlewood revealed that if it was the last Test of the season, he would’ve played but he didn’t want to risk aggravating the injury.
“If this (Adelaide) 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,” the 33-year-old added.
Hazlewood is expected to replace Scott Boland in the playing XI. The latter was very good in Australia’s win in Adelaide as he took five wickets across two innings. However, Hazlewood has a good record in Brisbane – 37 wickets in eight Tests at an average of 23.75.