Hazlewood Ruled Out of Second Test Against India
Josh Hazlewood, the Australian pacer, is set to miss the second Test against India, which starts on December 6 in Adelaide. The fast bowler has sustained a 'low grade left side injury', forcing him out of the day-night, pink-ball fixture, according to Cricket Australia. This will be the first time Hazlewood will be absent from a home Test against India.
The Australian team will be missing one of their four mainstay players - Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon - for the first time since the Sydney Test of 2015. This formidable quartet has featured in nine consecutive home Tests against India. In Hazlewood's place, Australia is likely to recruit Scott Boland, who was part of the initial squad. Boland is slated to play in the warm-up game for the Prime Ministers XI, starting on November 30.
This marks Hazlewood's first absence from a home Test against India. His loss will be significantly felt by the hosts, who are presently trailing in the five-match series 0-1. He performed exceptionally well against India in the last day-night, pink-ball match they played in Adelaide in December 2021.
Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett, both uncapped pacers, have been called up to the Australian squad. Abbott and Doggett have shown impressive form in the Sheffield Shield, with Abbott claiming 4 for 71 against Tasmania and Doggett achieving a five-wicket haul against Western Australia. Both have been selected in previous Test squads, but have yet to play a game.
