Delhi: Josh Hazlewood will take part in the Indian Premier League despite being deemed too valuable for Australia’s winter campaign in England to be risked for the ODI series in India that follows the Tests, as he seeks to shake off a pattern of injuries.
The Australian side’s tilt at regaining the ODI title clinched by England in 2019 is to be led by Pat Cummins after he was handed the one-day captaincy late last year, and he will be bolstered by the returns of Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh from injury.
Josh Hazlewood.Credit:James Brickwood
Hazlewood, who flew home early from the Test tour this week after never being eligible for selection due to a nagging Achilles problem, is being held back to ensure he is as fit and ready as possible for the England tour that may also encompass the World Test Championship final at the Oval in June. Jhye Richardson steps up in his absence.
This year looms as a vital one for Hazlewood, 32, after each of his past three were addled by soft-tissue injuries that have denied Australia of the services of a highly incisive pace bowler. On his return to Australia, Hazlewood explained that bowling lucrative four-over stints in the IPL - his pricetag for the league is $1.35 million - was not considered too physically onerous as he returned to action.
“A T20 tournament is probably six overs every second or third night, which will be pretty much perfect build-in, and we’ll go from there,” Hazlewood said.
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Maxwell’s freakishly broken leg deprived the all-rounder of a chance to contend for a spot in the Test series in India, but he has subsequently made a return to domestic ranks for Victoria after missing the Big Bash League.
Marsh, meanwhile, has recovered from an ankle problem and will form an important plank of the side, having been mentioned in leadership dispatches recently as Australia seek a Twenty20 captain to complement Cummins and replace Aaron Finch.
“It would be great for Josh to be part of this series, but we have taken a conservative view ahead of a very important winter in England of which he will be an integral part,” selection chair George Bailey said.