File photo of Josh Hazlewood.© AFP
Australia’s left-arm fast-bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc said the team is hopeful of Josh Hazlewood featuring again in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series after the pacer was ruled out of the upcoming day-night Adelaide Test against India due to a side strain. “He’s hopeful. He, Nathan and I were in the gym during the week in Sydney. He’s obviously here with us in Adelaide. So he’s just getting some work done. Hopefully, he’ll have a role at some point,” Starc said, adding, “It’s certainly not a big (tear). I think he caught it early enough and had the awareness of the discomfort to get it without having a big rip in it. We are very hopeful that – whether he takes part in Brisbane or not – (that he will play) still in this series,” said Starc on cricket.com.au’s Unplayable Podcast episode.
In Hazlewood’s absence, seamer Scott Boland shapes as the most likely candidate to replace him in Australia’s playing eleven for the game in Adelaide. If selected, Adelaide will be the venue for Boland to play a Test match after 18 months.
Starc has backed Boland, who has picked 35 wickets at an average of 20.34 from his 10 Tests, to come good in Adelaide. “I don’t know who they’ll play but Scotty has been around for a while and has played a couple of pink-ball games. He loves playing here as well when it’s nipping and just doing enough,” he said.
“We saw his skills on show in the PM’s XI when it was just doing enough. I played that Shield game (against) him a few weeks ago (at the MCG) where he was coming back from a couple of niggles and just coming into his rhythm.”
“But you could see he was on the verge of that rhythm that you always know is there with Scotty. If he does get the chance this week, he’ll be the Scotty we know and have seen before.”
The depth of both India and Australia will be tested when they have just three days to make a turnaround from finishing the Adelaide Test to playing the third match of the series at The Gabba in Brisbane.
“Next (this) week is going to be a challenge, going from a day-night Test in Adelaide back to back (with) the early start in Brisbane. There’s a challenge in itself – first-world problems – but your preparation changes a little bit,” concluded Starc.
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