WTC Final – ‘My fitness is pretty good’: Josh Hazlewood on his chances of breaking into XI for India tie

There is a good news coming from the Aussie camp as we near the start of the World Test Championship Final between India and Australia at the Oval in London. Star seamer Josh Hazlewood believes he has a realistic chance of breaking into the playing XI for the India tie following almost attaining full fitness.

Hazlewood has had a troubled time with injuries for the past six months at least. After getting ruled out of the final home Test of the season against South Africa at the SCG, Hazlewood missed the entire India tour, which included the four-match Border-Gavaskar series and the three ODIs that followed due to an Achilles issue.

Because of the same reason, he joined his IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore late in mid-April and, even then, could play just three games in the season. The Aussie quick left the tournament early, complaining about soreness in his left side.

Upon joining the Australia team before leaving for the UK for the WTC Final and then the Ashes, Hazlewood bowled a bit in Sydney. After the team landed in West Lancashire, Josh went about his business in the nets bowling in rhythm.

With a few of the former players, including Ponting, revealing their Australia XI for the WTC Final, dropping Hazlewood for Scott Boland, Josh believes he is doing fine fitness-wise, and after he takes the heavy workload in the nets in the coming days, it will be decided if he gets his chance or not.

“In T20, you are bowling a lot of various different balls every over. A wide yorker to a bouncer to a slower ball, and [the side] just got jammed up a little bit, and a bit of scar tissue from previous injuries flared up.”

“It calmed down pretty quickly. I had a week off, I didn’t quite get back to going 100 per cent at [the] IPL, but the last few bowls have been good, and I have been building up nicely,” he added.

Earlier, the Aussie team trained at Formby and will now hold a three-day camp at Beckenham. Hazlewood, who is fighting for that one spot with Boland, will likely get through two solid bowling sessions – one on Thursday and then on Saturday before the management takes a final call on the playing XI.

Following the one-off Test for the coveted trophy, Australia will play the Ashes, starting June 16th in Edgbaston.