Courtesy: Google
In the build-up to the highly anticipated World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final, set to begin on Wednesday, June 11, Josh Hazlewood, the Australian fast bowler, is looking to make a comeback in the national team against South Africa after being sidelined due to injuries. The 34-year-old picked up a calf injury during the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series last year against India in Brisbane after a side strain earlier in the series, and since then, he hasn’t featured for Australia in Test cricket.
After recovering from injuries a couple of months ago, Josh Hazlewood made his way to India to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, playing a key role for the franchise in their first-ever title victory. The Aussie took 22 wickets for RCB, missing out on claiming the Purple Cap by not much, but at the end of the day, he lifted the coveted IPL trophy once again in his career.
Following the completion of the IPL on June 3, Josh Hazlewood has now made his way to the United Kingdom, to join the rest of his Australian teammates before the WTC 2025 final against South Africa gets played at the Lord’s in London. Following a modest workload of five overs during an optional training session in Beckenham, he spoke to the press about his journey with Australia in Test cricket over the past couple of years or so, which has been far from easy as far as his fitness is concerned.
I think in any format, my numbers over the last two years have been pretty good: Josh Hazlewood
He was quoted as saying, as per Cricket.com.au, “I was quite close last time [in 2023], I just had more of an interrupted IPL leading into that and wasn't quite up to scratch.” Notably, Josh Hazlewood had to miss out on playing the WTC 2023 final against India at The Oval in London due to injury, but his replacement Scott Boland played a key role in helping Australia win the title for the first-time ever.
The Australian fast bowler also talked about how he is in better headspace leading up to the WTC final this time around in comparison to the last time. He remarked, “But I feel in much better place this time around, and I think in any format, my numbers over the last two years have been pretty good, so I've got a lot to fall back on. Skill wise, I still feel like I'm bowling the best I have in my career and it's just a matter of the body holding up, which it has been in the last few months.”
