Despite leaving the Indian Premier League earlier than planned, injury plagued Aussie quick Josh Hazlewood is on track for the World Test Championship final and the Ashes, reports DANIEL CHERNY.
Hazlewood missed Royal Challengers Bangalore’s final regular season game against the Gujarat Titans, with reports out of India suggesting that he may have suffered a recurrence of the Achilles injury that had limited his availability in recent months.
However, it’s understood Hazlewood’s issue was a very minor case of side soreness, which is not expected to prevent him from training ahead of or playing in the WTC final against India at The Oval between June 7 and 12.
Hazlewood, along with fellow IPL participants David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, were due to return to Australia following the conclusion of the regular season and travel with the bulk of the Australian Test squad to England later this week.
Josh Hazlewood has been plagued by injuries for the past two years. Picture: Jason McCawley/Cricket Australia via Getty Images
Cameron Green, whose maiden IPL ton on Sunday night helped hoist the Mumbai Indians into the finals is set to join the rest of the touring party when his franchise commitments wrap up.
One of the world’s best quicks when up and running, Hazlewood has played just four Tests since January 2021 as a result of injury and selection.
He is one of just four frontline quicks in Australia’s squad for the WTC final and first two Ashes Tests, alongside Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins.
Fellow seamers Michael Neser and Sean Abbott are on standby however, with both men set to train with the Test squad ahead of the WTC final.
Neser has fired during his early-season stint with English county Glamorgan, posting a ton against Sussex on Sunday to go with strong bowling form.
Marnus Labuschagne and Marcus Harris both made centuries over the weekend too in what will be their final competitive matches before the Tests begin. It was an impressive weekend overall for the top Aussies, with Warner and Smith also posting half-centuries in the IPL and county cricket respectively.
Australia has opted against playing a tour match in England given the narrow window between the end of the IPL and the clash with India, which is followed by five Ashes Tests.