Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood is currently out of action from the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka. He is battling with an early stage stress fracture in the same lower back area that has resurfaced from last year. The injury is going to keep him away from the game for a while.
The Aussies are set to travel for ODI series against India and Pakistan (in UAE). But Hazlewood is likely to miss both the series. The team management is being careful with the pacer as he will be a vital cog in the wheel for the ODI World Cup later this year. However, it also means that he would enter the tournament with very little game time.
Josh Hazlewood to get little practice before the World Cup
If he misses the India and Pakistan series, the 28-year-old will have only practice matches in Brisbane in May and the warm-up matches before the World Cup. As per the Australian assistant coach David Saker, it’s important to give him enough rest as the Ashes is also scheduled after the mega event in the UK.
“He’s a really important player for us moving forward,” Saker was quoted as saying by SEN Test Cricket. “To give him a rest up before a World Cup, Ashes is probably the smartest move.”
“We’ve got some one-day matches in India and the UAE but I’m not sure he’ll be right for those and then I think we’ll assess it straight after that. The really important thing is getting him up for the World Cup and the Ashes. But if he’s ready before that we’ll probably get him in a few games,” added Saker.
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