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IND v AUS 2020: 'If we're not getting results, we will challenge the batsmen with the bouncer and a leg-side field' - Josh Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood picked 13 wickets at an average of 30.62 in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Josh Hazlewood picked 13 wickets at an average of 30.62 in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood recently revealed the plans the home fast bowlers have devised against Indian batsmen, and stated that bouncers won’t be their go-to weapon. However, he added that if things don't go their way, the Aussie quicks will resort to the short ball.

Speedsters have always enjoyed bowling on Australian soil, which has often aided steep bounce and pace. But unlike yesteryear, when the Aussie pacers used to bounce oppositions out, Josh Hazlewood said his side would look to induce nicks by pitching the ball up to the Indian batsmen in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

“It’s probably a strategy all the time in Australia with the sort of bounce and pace our wickets have compared to other countries. And the wickets can also be quite flat from time to time...So if we’re not getting results on the front, we will challenge the batsmen with the bouncer and a leg-side field. That’s always been part of the game here,” Josh Hazlewood said during a virtual media conference from Adelaide.

Notably, it was Josh Hazlewood who employed a bouncer barrage and broke the back of the Indian batting line-up in the first ODI. The 29-year-old got the key wickets of Mayank Agarwal, captain Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer to eventually finish with figures of 3 for 55 from 10 overs.

The four-match Test series begins with a pink-ball game at the Adelaide Oval from Thursday (December 17).


‘The short ball will be used as a tactic against Cheteshwar Pujara,’ says Josh Hazlewood

Cheteshwar Pujara after scoring a century in the 2018 Boxing Day Test
Cheteshwar Pujara after scoring a century in the 2018 Boxing Day Test

While Virat Kohli has always let his bat do the talking Down Under, Australia would be wary of Cheteshwar Pujara in the absence of Kohli in the final three Tests this time around. The No. 3 batter was the architect of India’s historic 2-1 series win in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy as he scored a mammoth 521 runs in seven innings.

Interestingly, Josh Hazlewood hinted at making Pujara face chin music, especially after the former was caught at leg-gully off James Pattinson in the first innings of the first warm-up game at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney.

“At different times, yes, the short ball will be used as a tactic [against Cheteshwar Pujara],” Josh Hazlewood, who has taken 195 wickets at an average of 26.2 in 51 Tests, acknowledged.

The pink-ball game in Adelaide (December 17-21) will be followed by day matches at Melbourne (December 26-30), Sydney (January 7-11) and Brisbane (January 15-19).


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