Josh Hazlewood likely to miss entire series versus India after getting ruled out of Adelaide Test due to injury

Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the Adelaide Test match against India due to injury. The 33-year-old has suffered side strain injury which will see him miss the Pink Ball test against India in Adelaide starting on 6th December. Sean Abott and Brendan Doggett have been called up by the home team as replacements for the 2nd Test match. 

Josh Hazlewood was Australia’s best bowler during the first Test match where he picked four wickets in the first innings. During the last Pink ball Test against India, it was Hazlewood’s fifer which bundled out the visitors for 36 during the 2020 tour. Veteran pacer Scott Boland is highly favored to take Hazlewood’s spot in the side. 

There are fears in the Australian camp that Hazlewood could be ruled out of the entire series. The right-arm pacer has been bowling well in recent times but also had few injury issues in the past. The 33-year-old was recently purchased by Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Auctions. 

Mitchell Johnson suggests resting Marnus Labuschagne for Adelaide Test

Former Australian pace bowler Mitchell Johnson has suggested the Australian team management to rest Marnus Labuschagne owing to poor form. The 30-year-old has scored 245 runs from 6 matches in 2024 with three half-centuries. In the first Test matches, Labuschagne could score just five runs and was out LBW in both innings. 

Johnson in his write-up for The Nightly opined, “Labuschagne—after a lengthy poor run with the bat—should be replaced for the second Test in Adelaide. I honestly believe the best thing for Labuschagne at this stage would be to be left out.”

The former pacer also opined, “It would give him a chance to play some Sheffield Shield and club cricket away from the pressure of playing for your country, and I feel he would benefit from that more than going out there trying to survive against Jasprit Bumrah and co. Cricketers get dropped at some point in their careers, and it’s about how you bounce back from that.”

“Coming up against India, who now have their tails up, will be tough for anyone, but sometimes having fresh players in the team can bring the boys together in an energetic way. A new batsman could also come in clear-minded without having gone through a defeat like we just saw and play their natural game with less pressure,” Mitchell Johnson further added.