Injured Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood was on Monday ruled out of the second Ashes Test against England in Adelaide, with either Jhye Richardson or Michael Neser in his place.
The 30-year-old suffered a side strain during Australia’s nine-wicket slap in the opening Test in Brisbane and returned home to rest.
Hazlewood returned to Sydney yesterday afternoon for further assessment and rehabilitation and to decide on his fitness for the Boxing Day Test (in Melbourne). Cricket Australia said.
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His absence is a major setback ahead of the Adelaide Day-Night Test starting on Thursday, in which Hazlewood took a record 32 wickets in the pink ball at an average of just 19.90.
He did not bowl on the third afternoon in Brisbane, although he got six overs on the fourth day after an overnight scan.
Australian captain Pat Cummins said at the time that Hazlewood was “a bit sad”.
Cummins then said, “(It’s) nothing serious, but I didn’t want it to turn into a major injury.”
Richardson is widely seen as the favorite to replace him and joins Cummins and Mitchell Starc as Australia’s three-pronged pace attack in what will be only their third Test.
The 25-year-old played only his two Tests against Sri Lanka almost three years ago, but has been in fine form in the opening season of the Sheffield Shield.
The uncapped Neser has also been doing well in the opening season.
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Australia are sweating more over the fitness of David Warner who is taking care of his injured ribs.
The explosive opener scored 94 in Brisbane but did not bat in Australia’s second innings when just 20 runs were needed to win.
Cummins said after the Test that he was hopeful that Warner would recover in time, as veteran Usman Khawaja waits for his unfitness to return.
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