Josh Hazlewood has suffered another setback. The 33-year-old fast bowler has injured his calf and is in doubt for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
He bowled a very good spell with the new ball in the ongoing third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Hazlewood took the big wicket of Virat Kohli who nicked off. On the fourth morning, he bowled just one over and didn’t look himself.
According to cricket.com.au, the New South Wales speedster injured his calf during warm-ups on the fourth morning. He walked off the field after bowling just one over where he was taken for six runs. He was then taken for scans which revealed that Hazlewood has suffered a right calf strain. Hence, he will not take part in the remainder of this game.
A side strain had forced Hazlewood to miss the second Test in Adelaide. While the turnaround between the second and third Test was quite short, Australia captain Pat Cummins insisted that his premier fast bowler was fully fit to be back in the playing XI for the Gabba Test. The tall 33-year-old pacer underwent a couple of fitness tests before he was drafted back into the playing XI.
The latest calf injury is similar to the one he sustained during Australia’s tour of the United Kingdom. Hazlewood missed the three-match T20I series against Scotland at that time before he featured in one T20I and five ODIs against England.
Scott Boland likely to replace Hazlewood again
It was Scott Boland who came in for Hazlewood in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. The Victoria pacer picked up five wickets across two innings, scalping big names from the Indian team. Boland has an excellent record in Australia. He has returned with 33 wickets in seven Tests at a superb average of 13.54.
However, Australia are going to name a replacement in the squad. Uncapped pacers Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett were added as cover prior to the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
“A squad replacement will be made in due course,” a Cricket Australia (CA) spokesperson was quoted saying according to cricket.com.au.
The next Test is the Boxing Day Test which starts on the 26th of December. There is an eight-day gap between the third and the fourth Tests which should give the other Australian pacers some decent rest.
