Pace Crisis for Australia: Hazlewood Joins Cummins on Sidelines for Ashes Opener in Perth
Scans Confirm Hamstring Strain; Hazlewood Out of Perth Test, Doggett in Line for Debut
SYDNEY: Australia’s preparations for the highly anticipated Ashes series against England have been dealt a massive double blow, with veteran fast bowler Josh Hazlewood ruled out of the opening Test in Perth due to a hamstring injury. This setback comes with Captain Pat Cummins already confirmed to miss the match as he recovers from a back injury.
Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed the news in a statement on Saturday, revealing that follow-up imaging contradicted initial findings.
“Initial scans on Wednesday were clear of muscle strain; however, follow-up imaging today has confirmed the injury,” the CA statement read. “Early imaging can occasionally underestimate low-grade muscle injuries.”
Hazlewood, who has 295 Test wickets, reported hamstring tightness to stand-in New South Wales captain Steven Smith—who will also lead Australia in the Perth Test—after completing a spell during the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the SCG. The 34-year-old pacer will not travel to Perth this weekend.
The injury adds to Australia’s rapidly depleting fast-bowling stocks. The squad has also lost reserve fast bowler Sean Abbott to a hamstring issue sustained in the same Shield match.
Queensland seamer Michael Neser has been drafted into the squad as cover. Neser has played two Tests, with both of his previous appearances coming in home Tests when either Cummins or Hazlewood was unavailable.
The Debut Contention and Starc’s Responsibility
Hazlewood’s absence, coupled with that of Cummins, places immense responsibility on the shoulders of Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. The dual setbacks also open the door for Brendan Doggett, the South Australia quick, who is now a strong contender for a Test debut.
Doggett has been in outstanding form, taking 13 wickets in two Sheffield Shield matches since returning from his own hamstring trouble. A debut in Perth would make him Australia’s third Indigenous male Test cricketer. If selected, the match would mark a significant moment as the first time two Indigenous men, Doggett and Boland, would feature together in a Test XI.
The first Ashes Test, the NRMA Insurance Men’s West Test, begins in Perth on November 21st.
