Yet, that’s how issues are enjoying out for one in every of Australia’s premier fast bowlers, the place Hazlewood is a key a part of the T20I crew that may begin the journey, however barring harm, he seems prone to once more be sidelined for the Tests as he was in Pakistan earlier this 12 months when he was unnoticed after the opening match.
If it does transpire that means over the subsequent six weeks, it could imply that Hazlewood can have performed simply two of Australia’s final 10 Tests after sustaining a facet harm in the opening match of the Ashes in Brisbane.
“I was fine with it. Obviously, the conditions dictate the bowling line-up in the subcontinent and after playing on that first wicket [in Rawalpindi], I was pretty happy to sit on the sideline for the next two,” Hazlewood joked. “It was quite hard work for everyone. We are lucky to have Cam Green there to cover a lot of bases and you need airspeed on those sorts of wickets to have an impact. I’m happy to play my role there.”
It stays to be seen what’s produced for the 2 Tests this time, which is able to each be performed in Galle. Hazlewood floated the notion of Australia going to only one frontline fast (which must be Test captain Pat Cummins) though that also stays an unlikely prospect with Marnus Labuschagne as a substitute entrusted with a higher position with the ball than he had in Pakistan.
“We’ve got to see what we get dished up,” he stated. “Galle can reverse swing…so it came into play, there was the abrasive surface. Think Sri Lanka only bowled two overs of quicks for the whole game [it was five] so that tells you what wicket we might get.”
While Hazlewood’s Test profession has been stalled considerably by forces outdoors of his management, his T20 cricket has gone to new heights having benefited from a sustained run in the format each for Australia and in the IPL.
In all T20 cricket since June 2021, he’s the third-main wicket-taker amongst fast bowlers with 62 scalps at 17.91 in 39 matches with an financial system of seven.49. For Australia, the numbers are much more eye-catching: 31 wickets at 14.22 in 18 matches with an financial system of 6.61.
Nearly two-thirds of his T20 matches (49 of 79) have come since 2020 when, both facet of the pandemic rising, he returned for Sydney Sixers and helped them to the BBL title then picked up a take care of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
“I could see a couple of World Cups coming up in T20 cricket and wanted to poke my nose back in at the IPL, so I jumped in for the Sixers,” Hazlewood recalled. “[It was] probably that period where I made a conscious effort to get back into T20. It was so hard before that with logistical [issues], tours were overlapping, and you had to pick and choose what you wanted to play for Australia. Took that opportunity to play the Big Bash and that led to playing for Chennai and I ended up playing more and more games as time went on…then here we are.
“It’s an odd one, I suppose. I’ve clearly missed a good bit of crimson-ball cricket by means of harm and choice so, just a little bit disappointing in that regard. Then the white-ball, T20 in explicit, has gone energy to energy. That’s the good thing about having three codecs in this sport. If you’re struggling in one, or not going notably properly, then you may depend on one other one to come back by means of.”
The main decision Australia need to make ahead of the series-opener on Tuesday is the balance of their attack. It appears likely they will stick with the seven-batter formula, meaning it’s whether there is a third frontline quick to support Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc or if they team up Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson as a pair of specialist spinners.