Cummins confirms Hazlewood’s participation in Gabba Test as he will slot back in for Scott Boland after being passed fit.
Cummins confirms that Josh Hazlewood will return back into the playing 11 for the third test.
The sole alteration to Australia’s XI is that captain Pat Cummins has confirmed Josh Hazlewood would replace Scott Boland in the third Test match against India in Brisbane.
Due to a side strain he sustained in the first Test match in Perth, where Boland claimed five crucial wickets in two innings in the second Test, Hazlewood was unable to play in Australia’s victory in Adelaide.
Throughout the week, Hazlewood was put through a few fitness tests. Under the watchful eye of bowling coach Daniel Vettori, Hazlewood walked out to Allan Border Field on Thursday to bowl off his full run alongside Mitchell Starc because there were no spare centre wickets and just short run-ups available in the Gabba nets.
On Monday, Hazlewood clarified that his most recent injury was not “a typical side strain” but rather a result of a persistent problem that has left him unhappy and looking for a solution.
“You’re running in to bowl, and you just grab your hat and you’re off and you’re out for six weeks. It’s not that sort of side strain,” he said. “It is from sort of repetitive use. It’s caused me a lot of trouble over the last few years. But [had] perfect prep this year, played the Shield game and ticked all that off.
“I was very happy where I was, and it still happened. So I was pretty annoyed there for a few days. There was plenty of meetings from CA’s point of view [with] physios, [and] doctors, all that stuff. So [we will] come up with a few options and see if we can stop it from happening again. I’ve ticked every box so far this week. The side’s obviously been a troublesome area for me in the past. So if I can lean on the side of caution, I guess [I will] a little bit.”