Hazlewood advocates for more all-rounders this Ashes series after a stirring spell in the second T20I against India at MCG.
After an incredible T20I performance against India at the MCG, Josh Hazlewood claims he is bowling as well as he has ever done in white-ball cricket. However, he has urged Australia’s selectors to choose as many all-rounders as possible for the Ashes as his focus shifts to Sheffield Shield cricket.
With three games remaining in the series, Hazlewood helped Australia take a 1-0 lead by ripping through India’s top order with Test-match-style figures of 3 for 13 from four overs.
However, Hazlewood will now depart Australia’s squad in order to get ready for his final game before the first Ashes Test on November 21, a Shield match against Victoria that begins on November 10.
Hazlewood’s significance going into the Ashes series has been brought to light by Pat Cummins’ injury, and he has been frequently questioned about his ability to play five Tests against England after suffering injuries in both of the two Tests he participated in last summer.
As the question of whether Australia can accommodate Cameron Green and Beau Webster in the same top six continues to rage, Hazlewood was questioned about the significance of all-rounders in the Test team. However, Hazlewood stated that the all-rounders were essential.
“First player picked [should be] an allrounder, I think,” Hazlewood said after his Player of the Match effort on Friday. “Going back to those 20-odd Test matches we played with no allrounder, they were hard yards. So if [they] can be in the team, be it bowling, [Ca Green] Greeny is obviously an outstanding player, Beau has done great for us whenever he’s played. The more the merrier, I say. They can bowl as much as they want.”
Hazlewood has been in incredible white-ball form lately. In contrast to Mitchell Starc, who retired from Twenty20 International cricket and missed the August ODI series against South Africa in order to take a long break from bowling, Hazlewood deliberately decided to play as much as he could throughout the winter in consultation with the CA medical staff and selection panel. Hazlewood missed five Test matches, the Champions Trophy, and part of the IPL due to side and calf injuries sustained during a major hiatus in the winter of 2024.
“Everything’s going swimmingly now,” Hazlewood said. “I think I can’t really say if it’s worked perfectly until probably after the summer. If I get through everything, it’s probably the template moving forward, to put myself in the best position to play as many games as possible. Still resting the odd one here and there, if it doesn’t sort of match up with travel or turnarounds and stuff like that.”