Josh Hazlewood and Australia suffer massive blow with injury in BGT 2024-25 3rd Test
Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing third Border-Gavaskar Test against India at The Gabba in Brisbane. He will reportedly miss the rest of the series as well due to a calf strain, which was confirmed through scans after he went off the field on Day 4.
The Men in Yellow are now one bowler short for the final session on the penultimate day and the final day of the Test. Hazlewood bowled only one over at the start of the day, before going off the field to assess the situation. Commentators had noted that the pacer's speeds had dropped considerably, and he was not looking in great shape in his run-up and follow-through.
His figures read 1-22 after six overs and he had accounted for Virat Kohli's wicket with the new ball on Day 3, marking the second time he dismissed the ace Indian batter in the series.
"Medical scans later in the day confirmed he had strained his right calf and is likely to miss the rest of the series," a statement from CA read
"A squad replacement will be made in due course," said a CA spokesperson.
The right-arm pacer had missed the second Test at the Adelaide Oval due to a side strain, with Scott Boland named as his replacement in the playing XI. The latter put in a spirited display with the pink ball, claiming five wickets in the ten-wicket win.
With the second Test wrapping up in three days, the players availed a good enough break to recover for the Gabba Test. Australia were confident of Hazlewood's progress from injury, and Cummins named him as the sole change in the playing XI, and Boland had to make way yet again.
Josh Hazlewood had sustained a calf strain earlier this year as well
The right-arm pacer had sustained a similar injury which ruled him out of the T20I series against Scotland and the majority of the T20I series against England, away from home. He recovered in time to play four of the five ODIs against the Harry Brook-led side, and played a Sheffield Shield clash ahead of the Border-Gavaskar series.
Hazlewood was also ruled out of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final in 2023 against India after sustaining a side strain injury during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign.