Josh Hazlewood Ruled Out of World Test Championship Final
Injury-plagued fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been declared ineligible for the upcoming World Test Championship Final. Although the pacer had returned to bowling full tilt, the Australian team is prioritizing the Ashes 2023, which is set to commence two weeks later, over the IND vs AUS WTC Final. As a result, they have chosen to rule Hazlewood out of the match and drafted in Michael Neser as a replacement.
Hazlewood’s Injury Not Recurrence
It is important to note that Hazlewood’s injury is not a recurrence. He had been training full-tilt in Formby and Beckenham, but is still managing his Achilles injury and a side injury that had flared up during the IPL 2023.
Australia Prioritizing Ashes Over WTC Final
Chair of Selectors George Bailey explained that Hazlewood was very close to being given the green light, but the upcoming schedule meant that it was not a one-off Test match. Consequently, the Australian team has decided to prioritize the Ashes 2023 over the IND vs AUS WTC Final.
Conclusion
Although Josh Hazlewood is getting fitter, the Australian team has opted to rule him out of the World Test Championship Final in order to prioritize the Ashes 2023. Michael Neser has been drafted in as a replacement.