Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood played a key role in his team’s dominant win over India in the first ODI of the three-match series. On a spicy wicket in Perth, Hazlewood combined with fellow pacer Mitchell Starc to dismantle the Indian top order, inflicting a crushing defeat on India.
Hazlewood claimed the key wickets of Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, two of the most reliable batsmen in the Indian line-up. After the match, he insisted that a similar pitch would be prepared for the upcoming Ashes series, which was due to start in November.
“Perth always offers nice bounce and pace, which has served us well in the past, especially with our bowlers who all offer something different,” Hazlewood told The Age.
The Perth track offered a steep and challenging bounce, which proved very effective for Australia’s tall, fast bowlers. In a rain-marred stop-start match, India struggled to build any momentum after Starc, Hazlewood and Nathan Ellis reduced their tally to just 25 for 3 inside the first ten overs.
“It was a nice start. [My] the rhythm felt good behind New Zealand. Everything feels good at the moment, a great way to start construction [to the Ashes]Hazlewood added.
Australia are currently in the early stages of preparation for the Ashes, their major Test series against traditional rivals England. The five-match fixture will be one of the highlights of the international cricket calendar. However, the team is expected to be without a captain Pat Cummins for at least the series opener as he continues to recover from a lower back injury.
Commenting on Cummins’ injury, Hazlewood acknowledged the physical toll that fast bowling takes over time. He noted that most pace bowlers experience some degree of discomfort during long seasons, and dealing with these niggles becomes part of the job. The Ashes start on November 21, with the first Test to be played in Perth.
“Every fast bowler has a few hiccups and after a while it just becomes part of your routine as a fast bowler. My body feels great now. I am confident I can get through all five bowls. [Tests] without any dramas,” Hazlewood concluded.
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