Josh Hazlewood could miss South Africa Test series: Here's why
Australia pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood could miss the upcoming Test series against South Africa. He was ruled out of the second Test against West Indies in Adelaide due to a side strain. According to an ESPNcricinfo report, Hazlewood will return to Sydney for rehabilitation on Friday. Brisbane will host the first Test between Australia and South Africa, starting December 17.
Why does this story matter?
Hazlewood's absence will hurt Australia in the South Africa series. He is one of the three marquee Australian pacers besides Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. During the West Indies series, it was reported that Hazlewood has "general soreness". However, further investigation revealed that he was suffering from a side strain. The same could force him to miss the start of the SA series.
It's low-level strain: Cummins
Regular Australia skipper Cummins gave an update about Hazlewood's injury. "I feel for Joshy, he's pretty understandably flat," Cummins told Channel 7. "It's a low-level strain in his side. He was a little bit sore after the last Test match, had a bowl in the nets yesterday to prove his fitness, and was a bit sorer than we'd all hoped."
Hazlewood suffered a similar injury during the Ashes
Hazlewood picked up a similar injury during the 2021/22 Ashes. He sustained a side strain during the series opener at the Gabba. As was the case in the West Indies series, pacer Scott Boland had replaced Hazlewood for the final Ashes Test.
Will Cummins play the SA series?
Both Hazlewood and Cummins are sitting out of the ongoing 2nd Test against West Indies. The latter is yet to recover from a quad strain he picked up during the opening Test in Perth. Steven Smith is leading Australia, while Boland comes as a like-for-like replacement. It remains to be seen if Cummins regains fitness for the South Africa series.
Australia's magnificent trio
Hazlewood, Cummins, and Starc have featured in 22 Tests together. They have taken a combined total of 210 wickets at an average of 32.91. Together, the trio has taken as many as nine five-wicket hauls in Test cricket.
Australia to tour India after SA series
Australia's first Test against South Africa will be held at the Gabba, Brisbane, starting December 17. Melbourne (December 26-30) and Sydney (January 4-8) will host the next two Tests. Australia will then travel to India for the Border-Gavaskar series. The iconic Test series will get underway on February 9 with four Tests in Nagpur, Delhi, Dharamsala, and Ahmedabad.
