Aussie pace trio unlikely to play in all five Tests

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Aussie pace trio unlikely to play in all five Tests

Josh Hazlewood thinks Australia are unlikely to opt to play all front-line quicks in all five Tests, saying last summer’s selection was “probably a one-off”.

Preparing to open his summer with his first NSW match since 2021, in a one-day game against Victoria on Friday at Melbourne’s Junction Oval, Hazelwood said there were currently no plans to rotate himself, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.

But the 33-year-old conceded the crowded schedule meant it was unlikely the trio would feature in all five Tests against India as they did in a seven-Test stretch in 2023-24, facing Pakistan, the Wests Indies and New Zealand.

The absence of allrounder Cameron Green, who will miss the summer following back surgery, has increased the likely workload of the “big three” while four of the five Tests will be played back-to-back.

“We did it last year, but it was probably a one-off,” said Hazlewood, with the first Test getting underway from November 22 in Perth.

“You’ve just got to take it as it comes as it’s not like T20 or one-day where you know you’re going to bowl 10 (overs), you know you’re going to bowl four – it’s like, you could bowl 50 overs, you could bowl 25 so there’s really no point in planning for it.

“If you’re fit to play, play and if you’re not, you don’t play.”

But Hazlewood said no-one wanted to be rested, with top-ranked Australia and No.2 India battling for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

“It’s as simple as that, no-one rests a Test match and if you’re ready to go the day before, then you play and and if you’re not, you sit down,” he said.

“We’ve got enough in the stable to roll through a couple of guys who we know can do a really good job.”

Hazlewood said he planned to play in the upcoming Sheffield Shield game against Queensland from November 1.

“You can do as much as you want in the nets … but to get out there and just have those longer spells, a couple of spells in a day, back-to-back bowling – all those things you need to sort of tick off,” he said.

“We haven’t had that opportunity in the last few years to do that, just haven’t had the time with the schedule. So it’s good to get out there next week and play that Shield game.”

He said he wouldn’t be looking to match his NSW teammate Starc’s contribution, bowling 37 overs in his return to red-ball cricket against Victoria this week.

“I think anything around 30 (overs) is a really good workout, just get those miles in the legs and get ready for Test cricket.”

Hazlewood hoped to see Scott Boland return to the Test arena, with the 35-year-old Victorian twice snaring the wicket of NSW’s *********** hopeful Sam Konstas and also securing a LBW to send former Test captain Steve Smith out with a duck.

“He’s one who I think thrives on bowling and the more he plays, the better he gets” Hazlewood said.

“We know what he can do at the top level, so I’ve no doubt he’ll play a part at some stage in the summer, or even overseas in the Test tours to come.”

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