Australia fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood believes it was probably a unique situation to have the team’s main pace bowlers play all seven Tests in their previous international home summer. Australia’s bowling attack was unchanged in the 2023/24 home season, with Cameron Green being the fifth bowling option. But Green is now unable to play in the upcoming season after undergoing back surgery. “It feels the same question every year – if you’re fit, you play, if you’re not, you don’t play. We’ve got enough in the stable to roll through a couple of guys who we know can do a really good job and put a little bit of pressure on us from time to time, so no dramas there.”
“It’s not like a T20 or one-dayer where you know you’re going to bowl 10 (overs) or you know you’re going to bowl four. You could bowl 50 overs, you could bowl 25, so there’s really no point in planning for it. We did it last year, but it was probably a one-off … it’s literally make a call the day before,” said Hazlewood to reporters.
Hazlewood and Test skipper Pat Cummins will ramp up their preparation for the white-ball series against Pakistan and five Tests against India by turning out for New South Wales in Friday’s One-Day Cup clash against Victoria.
“I think anything around 30 (overs) is a really good workout. Tick all those boxes with the back-to-back bowling and just get those miles in the legs and get ready for Test cricket,” he added.
He also expects that at some stage, pacer Scott Boland will have a part to play in the five-match Test series against India, starting on November 22 in Perth. Boland has not played for Australia in the longer format since the third Ashes Test in July last year.
“I chatted to (Boland) a little bit after actually, just a few texts … he said he was a little bit rusty going in, but slowly got better as the game got going. He’s the one who I think thrives on bowling as well – the more he plays, the better he gets.
“We know what he can do at the top level, so I’ve no doubt he’ll play a part at some stage in the summer, or even overseas in the Test tours to come. He’s a great guy to have around the group, and a really good competitor when he’s out there,” said Hazlewood.
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