Josh Hazlewood ruled out of BGT 2024/25 2nd Test due to side strain, Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett added to squad

Australia's new-ball seamer Josh Hazlewood will miss the decisive second Test against Team India at the Adelaide Oval, beginning on December 6, due to a side strain. The hosts have added two uncapped pacers in Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett to the squad as cover ahead of the day-night Test.

The 33-year-old was Australia's best bowler across two innings amid a thumping 295-run defeat to India in Perth. The New South Wales seamer picked up four wickets on Day 1 to restrict the tourists to 150 and sent down 21 economical overs for a wicket in the second innings as the tourists batted Pat Cummins and Co. out of the contest.

Abbott, who has played only limited-overs cricket, has been with the Test squad on quite a few occasions without featuring yet. However, the 32-year-old has delivered promising performances in the two Sheffield Shield matches he featured in, taking 13 scalps.

Dogget, meanwhile, received his second call-up to the Test squad, having first been included during the series against Pakistan in the UAE in 2018. The 30-year-old has bagged 11 wickets in three Shield matches this season at 34.27.

Scott Boland primed to replace Josh Hazlewood for the pink-ball Test

With right-arm seamer Scott Boland an accomplished performer in Test cricket, the Victorian is likely to replace Hazlewood in Adelaide. The 35-year-old last played a Test during the third Ashes Test in Headingley in 2023. In 10 Tests, Boland has claimed 35 wickets at 20.34 apiece, including a six-wicket haul on debut.

Nevertheless, Hazlewood's absence will hurt the hosts, given the 33-year-old was the wrecker-in-chief during the previous pink-ball Test between the two sides; he took 5/8 to bowl India out for 36. It also means that the likes of Cummins and Mitchell Starc will have to step up big time against an in-form Indian batting unit.

Both Starc and Cummins managed only three wickets across two innings in Perth.