Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has made the biggest strides on his way to a Test return after taking two wickets in his first appearance in nearly four months – but Michael Clarke thinks he needs to prepare for the Ashes.
Hazlewood bowled three overs for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, winning 2-15 in his first game since the New Year’s SCG Test against South Africa in January.
The 32-year-old looms as a key plank in Australia’s attack for a whopping six Test matches in England, starting with the World Test Championship final against India, and then the highly anticipated Ashes.
Hazlewood had not bowled in a match since he injured his Achilles tendon in Sydney, forcing him to miss the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series in India.
The New South Welshman has been working on a recovery program to get him ready for the WTC final on June 7 and said he was ‘more excited than nervous’ to finally return.
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has made the biggest strides on his way to a Test return after snatching two wickets in his first appearance in nearly four months – but Michael Clarke thinks he needs to prepare for the Ashes
Michael Clarke thinks Hazlewood should focus on preparing for the Ashes rather than getting limited bowling spells in the Indian Premier League
“It’s been a long time,” said Hazlewood, who plays on a $1.4 million contract.
“I was more excited than nervous. It’s great to be back here for some good fans.’
Hazlewood, who took 20 wickets at 21.85 in four games on the last Ashes tour in 2019, has played just 11 of Australia’s 28 Tests since that run due to a string of injuries.
But he was named to the 17-man Ashes squad with the expectation of rejoining Australia’s front line alongside captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
National selectors were pleased that Hazlewood used the IPL to build up his bowling loads outside matches, hoping to play as many of England’s six Tests as possible.
However, former Australian captain Michael Clarke believes Hazlewood should focus on preparing for the Ashes and follow the example of Cummins and Starc, who withdrew from this year’s IPL to ‘get some rest’ ahead of a busy winter campaign.
“I don’t know why he plays too much IPL. I don’t know why he’s not here in Australia preparing for Test match cricket,’ Clarke said.
“I know they will have people there, in the nets he will bowl more than what the IPL players bowl, in preparation for test match cricket.
Hazlewood, who took 20 wickets at 21.85 in four matches on the final Ashes tour in 2019, has played just 11 of Australia’s 28 Tests since that series due to a string of injuries
National selectors were happy for Hazlewood to use the IPL to build up his bowling loads outside matches, hoping he could play as many of England’s six Tests as possible.
“But I just don’t know if bowling three overs, four overs is his best preparation for an Ashes series right now, after the injuries he’s had and the amount of time he’s had out of Test cricket.
“It’s great to see him play again, there’s no doubt about that…but for fans of Australian Test cricket, you’ll want to see him at his best for this Ashes series.”
Clarke was unsure whether Cricket Australia should have stepped in and prevented Hazlewood from entering the T20 tournament.
‘They can do it now. They can stop you,’ he replied.
‘But it’s India. Are you kidding? Nobody says no to India.
“We had the conversation about Cameron Green… is it in Cameron’s Green’s best interest at the moment, with his body, with the Ashes series coming up, with the amount of cricket we’re coming up with, that he play IPL there? Or should he take four weeks of rest, recover, rehabilitate and start preparing?
“Unless Cricket Australia is going to say, ‘OK, the IPL just offered you $3 million for eight weeks … we’ll pay you that $3 million if you stay home and train with us,’ there’s nothing they can do.”
Clarke says he’s happy the Aussie Quick is back from injury but wants to see Hazlewood at his best for the Ashes series
Victorian speedy Scott Boland is also part of the Ashes squad and main selection George Bailey said they would also have the capacity to call up Michael Neser and Sean Abbott, who are among a plethora of Australians playing in the County Championship, if necessary.
“If we need to call again soon, we can be very specific about who we need and why,” Bailey said last month.
‘And then not necessarily have someone in the selection who eventually becomes superfluous.’