NEWS
Follow UsAustralia speedster Josh Hazlewood admitted that the injury he picked up mid-way through the third Test in Brisbane has left him ‘frustrated’, with the unfortunate timing of the injury bringing a premature end to his 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign.
Hazlewood missed the Adelaide Test with a 'low-grade left side injury’ but returned to the XI at the Gabba after passing all fitness Tests. However, he broke down again just six overs into the first innings, this time suffering a calf strain.
The latest injury means that the 33-year-old has missed at least a part of four of the last six home summers, with 2020/21 and 2023/24 being the only two summers where he’s gone the entire season unscathed.
“Frustrating, really. Thought I'd ticked every box heading into the Test and then picked up a random calf strain. Obviously we'll do a deep dive into the injury, but it feels pretty random sort of a injury,” Hazlewood told reporters on December 19 (Thursday).
"I've had a little history of sides and calves. These are the two things which have probably kept me out [the most] for the last two years. Hopefully I'll add another layer into the defence, get back into the gym. I've ticked a lot of boxes in the last 12 months.”
The speedster said that he’s been left frustrated mainly by the timing of the injuries. This latest calf strain has ruled him out of the remainder of the India series, though it’s not a major injury.
“It's just the timing that's frustrating. These are 2-3-week injuries, but the timing is bad since you're missing big games. That's the frustrating part,” he said.
The lanky seamer asserted that he hopes to now be fit for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting January 29.
"Yeah. Sri Lanka is the goal now. I'll take it as it comes the next few weeks, not going to rush anything. It's about getting everything right and taking a few extra days here and there,” he said.
Scott Boland is expected to take Hazlewood’s place in the XI for the third Test in Melbourne. Boland averages 13.54 in Australia and has taken 10 wickets at the MCG at a strike rate of 27.6.
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