BGT – Josh Hazlewood sets deadline before committing to Gabba Test availability

Ace Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood is nearing full fitness but has asked for another 24 hours to decide on his availability for the Gabba Test against India starting December 14. Hazlewood missed the second game in Adelaide due to a minor side strain, with backup Scott Boland picked in the XI. Though Boland returned with five wickets across both innings, including removing Yashasvi Jaiswal on his first ball in the second, he will likely make way for Josh should he declare fit.

Josh bowled on the centre wicket at the Adelaide Oval on Monday (Dec 9), which could have been day four of the second BGT, which Australia won by 10 wickets inside three days.

The right-arm pacer bowled top pace during his lengthy recovery examination, looking to replicate match conditions. After a brief spell, he cooled down before returning to ensure his fitness across multiple stints ahead of the third Test.

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"I think it'll be how I pull up in the 24 hours following it really," Hazlewood said, as quoted by cricket.com.au.

"It’s just that repetitive (action), and obviously two spells make 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',” he continued.

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Reflecting more on the nature of the injury, Hazlewood said though he sustained side strains throughout his career, the current setback wasn’t as damaging, and that he could have risked playing through it in Adelaide had it been the last Test of the summer.

Considering Australia and India will face off in three more Tests in this series in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, respectively, with what is on the stake – a spot in the WTC 2025 Final, Hazlewood wouldn’t have risked his injury in Adelaide. With plenty to play for in the remainder of this series, Hazlewood would like to play when 100%.

"It's not necessarily your typical side strain, which I've had a couple in my career," Hazlewood said of his most recent setback. "It’s caused me a lot of trouble over the last few years, but perfect prep this year (heading into the first Test).

"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,” he continued.

‘Red ball in Gabba suits us’

Hazlewood was part of the Test XIs which lost to India and West Indies, respectively, at the Gabba on the past two occasions. Although India’s batting masterclass cost them a defeat in Brisbane the first time, Hazlewood feels Australia failing to apply them with the pink ball against the Windies resulted in their loss earlier this year.

Expressing composure over returning to the Gabba playing with the red ball, Hazlewood said, “We always play pretty well in Brissy (but) the last Test was obviously pink ball."

"The pink ball gets quite soft in Brisbane quite early on, with the wicket being quite hard, it doesn't have that thatch grass that we see here at Adelaide.

"So we're back to the red ball there, which I think suits us.

"We obviously haven't won recently up there, but it's a place we like to play,” Hazlewood said.

(With inputs from agencies)