Josh Hazlewood Eyes T20 World Cup Comeback After Injury Layoff
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has voiced strong confidence in his ability to participate in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. The 35-year-old pacer has been out of international cricket for the past three months due to hamstring and ankle issues. Despite these setbacks, Hazlewood is now back in training and feeling positive about his prospects.
Recovery Progress and Training Adjustments
Hazlewood shared details about his rehabilitation process in a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo. "Everything's going to plan," he stated. "We took a few extra weeks once we couldn't make the Test matches. I had a couple of bowls off the half-run last week. Running's going well, all the strength stuff's going well so, yeah, on track."
The experienced bowler explained how he's modifying his training regimen to manage his workload better. "My gym and everything is still mostly the same, but I think purely from a bowling workload, leading into the next red-ball game, do as much as we can in terms of just dicing it up a little bit differently," Hazlewood noted. He described potentially bowling two or three consecutive days followed by four or five days off, rather than maintaining a strict Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule.
Recent Injury History and Challenges
Hazlewood's international appearances have been limited recently due to multiple injuries:
- He missed the first two Tests of last year's Ashes series with a hamstring strain
- Achilles soreness during rehabilitation kept him out of the entire Ashes series
- During the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he played only two Tests before side and calf strains ruled him out
- A calf injury also forced him to miss the Sri Lanka tour last year
Of Australia's last 24 Test matches, Hazlewood has participated in only ten. The bowler acknowledged the challenge of consecutive injuries, saying, "Sometimes, when one thing goes and the other thing resurfaces. But it (the ankle) was probably another thing I'd been just managing over the last few years, and then it just creeps up."
World Cup Experience and Current Form
Hazlewood played a crucial role in Australia's 2021 T20 World Cup victory in the UAE, where he finished among the tournament's top five wicket-takers with 11 wickets. His teammate Adam Zampa took 13 wickets in that championship-winning campaign.
Despite his recent injury struggles, Hazlewood maintains strong ICC rankings:
- Ninth in Test bowling rankings
- Eleventh in T20I bowling rankings
Last year, he delivered an outstanding performance for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their maiden IPL title win, taking 22 wickets in just 12 matches.
Different Approaches for Different Formats
Hazlewood highlighted the distinct challenges between white-ball and red-ball cricket. "(With) white ball, you can really sit down and nut it out because you know you're involved for four or ten overs pretty much," he explained. "But Test matches are more like, okay, if it's like a Perth or Melbourne Test, then you are fine to bowl in the next Test, but if it's like a Sydney Test, where Barrell (Scott Boland) bowled 50 overs, then that's a different story."
The bowler emphasized the need for flexibility in Test cricket preparation. "With the red ball, it is a bit more on the run. You can map out the way you want to train to get ready for that first one, but I think once the Tests start then it's sort of play it by ear and have those conversations on the go."
Realistic Outlook and Team Role
Hazlewood, who turned 35 earlier this month, forms part of Australia's formidable pace attack alongside Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland. Despite being one of the older members of the bowling unit, he said, "I feel young in that attack. (But) I'm certainly realistic."
The pacer identified the initial return as his biggest challenge. "I still think the hardest hurdle for me is the first one. So if you get over that first one, things can roll on. But if you play too many in a row, obviously weakness starts to creep in. So if you sort of sense that coming, yes, you might have to sit one out."
With the T20 World Cup scheduled to begin next month in India and Sri Lanka, Hazlewood's recovery and form will be closely watched by Australian cricket fans hoping for a repeat of their 2021 championship success.
