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Josh Hazlewood's chances of featuring in the ongoing Ashes series have taken another hit, with the pacer developing Achilles soreness just as he began easing back from a recent hamstring injury, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Hazlewood was scheduled to join the Test squad in Brisbane to continue his rehabilitation, but that plan has now been put on hold. Hazlewood had only just started bowling off a short run-up in Sydney last week after being ruled out of the opening Test due to the hamstring issue he picked up while playing against Victoria last month. "Josh Hazlewood reported achilles soreness this week during his rehabilitation from recent hamstring injury," a Cricket Australia statement said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. "It is a low-grade issue and he is expected to recommence running and bowling next week," the statement added. Although he was never expected to be ready for the Adelaide Test, the fresh setback now puts his availability for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests in doubt. This adds to a pattern in recent years where Hazlewood has suffered secondary injuries soon after returning from major ones, particularly around his calf and Achilles. During the 2022-23 season, he strained his side in the first home Test and missed three matches. When he returned in early January, he again experienced Achilles soreness, which ruled him out of the India tour and left him underprepared for the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June. Last summer, he picked up another side strain during the opening Test against India and missed the next match. After hurrying back for the Brisbane Test, he then strained his calf, ruling him out of the remaining fixtures of the summer, the Sri Lanka tour and the Champions Trophy, before finally returning midway through the Indian Premier League (IPL). Following that return, he enjoyed a relatively injury-free stretch, playing the IPL, the WTC final, three Tests in the Caribbean and the white-ball series against South Africa, New Zealand and India, before appearing in only one Sheffield Shield match in the build-up to the Ashes. He strained his hamstring during that game for New South Wales against Victoria. The initial scan didn't show the injury clearly, prompting fears of a tendon problem. However, head coach Andrew McDonald remained hopeful he could still feature later in the Ashes but with his running and bowling workload now delayed due to the Achilles issue, the window for a comeback is shrinking. Australia's fast-bowling reserves have already been stretched early in the series, with Sean Abbott also sidelined by a hamstring injury. Pat Cummins was nearly ready for the Gabba Test but will now return only in Adelaide. (ANI)
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