NEW DELHI: Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has expressed frustration over the timing of his injury, which has ruled him out of the remaining two Tests against India.
Hazlewood sustained a right calf strain during the drawn third match at the Gabba, adding to his previous injury woes.
The 33-year-old paceman had already missed the second Test in Adelaide due to a side strain, which Australia won by 10 wickets. Hazlewood described the latest injury as “random” and expressed disappointment at missing crucial matches due to such minor injuries.
“Just frustrating really. Ticked every box heading into the (third) Test, I could understand if it was my side again, but it was just a random calf strain,” he told 7NEWS. “It’s just the timing again, they are only little 2-3 week injuries, it’s just the timing of it and missing big games is the frustrating thing.”
Scans revealed that the injury was a strain, but it was deemed serious enough to end Hazlewood’s home Test summer prematurely.
“Obviously, do a deep dive into it and see what we can come up with … feels pretty random,” he said.
“I’ve had a history of sides and calves, they’re probably the two things that have kept me out for the majority over the last four years. But yeah I sort of just keep adding another layer to the defence hopefully, get back into the gym, I’ve ticked a lot of boxes over the last 12 months.”
Despite the setback, Hazlewood remains focused on his recovery and is hopeful of regaining full fitness for the two-match Test tour of Sri Lanka in late January and February.
Hazlewood’s absence will undoubtedly be a blow for the Australian team, as they aim to secure a series victory against India in the remaining Tests.
However, his cautious approach to recovery aligns with the team’s long-term goals and the need to manage the workload of their premier fast bowlers.
Overall, Hazlewood’s frustration stems from the untimely nature of his injuries, which have prevented him from contributing consistently to the Australian team’s success.
