Will Josh Hazlewood consider Test retirement after Ashes disappointment?
What's the story
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has expressed his determination to continue playing all three formats of cricket despite suffering another injury. The 34-year-old pacer sustained a hamstring injury during a Sheffield Shield match ahead of the 2025-26 Ashes series. Initially, he was expected to miss only the first two Tests, but an Achilles problem in training delayed his recovery process. He is hence now set to miss the entire series.
Determination
Hazlewood's commitment to cricket remains strong
Despite his injury woes, Hazlewood is still committed to playing all three formats of the game. "My body still feels as strong as ever. It's just little things here and there that creep in," he told Sydney's Daily Telegraph. The pacer admitted that while injuries do force him to miss some games, he enjoys the different challenges posed by each format of cricket. Notably, Hazlewood boasts 295 wickets from 76 Tests at 24.21 (4W: 11, 5W: 13).
Injury cycle
Hazlewood's injury history and impact on career
Hazlewood's fitness issues have been a recurring theme in his career, with one injury often leading to another. Since 2022, he has faced a string of side strains, calf, hamstring, and Achilles problems that have affected his availability for home Tests, overseas tours, and major finals. Despite these setbacks, the pacer managed a brief injury-free spell during the IPL 2023 season, World Test Championship final, West Indies Tests, and some white-ball series but is disappointed about missing another home Ashes series due to injuries.
Return challenges
Hazlewood's thoughts on returning mid-series
Hazlewood shared his thoughts on the difficulties of returning mid-series or just before a series starts due to injury. He said, "Once you're injured mid-series or just before a series starts, you're chasing your tail a lot of the time anyway." The pacer added that while he could have returned for one or two Tests with his hamstring injury, it would leave him vulnerable going into a Test match without much preparation.