London [UK], June 7 : Josh Hazlewood believes he's in the best rhythm of his career as he targets a return to Australia's Test XI for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord's. After battling a series of injuries in recent years, the veteran seamer is aiming to fill one of the few remaining gaps in his stellar career.
Hazlewood arrived late in the UK, alongside Josh Inglis, after completing a sensational Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where he picked up 22 wickets and played a crucial role in their title-winning run. He has slowly eased back into red-ball preparation, bowling around five overs at moderate intensity during Australia's optional training session in Beckenham on Saturday. A more intense workout is planned at Lord's, where he is expected to ramp up to near full pace.
If he pulls up well, Hazlewood will likely edge out Scott Boland for a spot in the starting XI. Since returning to the Test setup during the 2023 Ashes, Hazlewood has been in remarkable form, claiming 57 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 19.68.
"I was obviously quite close last time (in 2023)," Hazlewood said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"I just had more of an interrupted IPL leading into that, and then had a few little issues going on, so wasn't quite up to scratch, but I feel in a much better place this time around," he added.
"And I think in any format, my numbers over the last two years have been pretty good, so have got a lot to fall back on in terms of skill wise. I still feel like I'm bowling probably the best over my career and it's just a matter of the body holding up, which it has been in the last few months," he noted.
"I think the intensity is probably a big one for me to tick that box," he said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"We're definitely adapting training to sort of get those back-to-back days in, get a big day, followed by another bowling session the day after and things like that, just to try and try and get our head around it and put ourselves in the best possible position we can be," he noted.
Hazlewood is optimistic that the slightly delayed conclusion of the IPL won't hamper his preparation. He remains confident about getting sufficient red-ball training under his belt before the final.
"I ticked over some good overs just before the final in Ahmedabad, in different weather than this," he said.
"It was quite a tough session. And then every time you play a game in the IPL, you're probably going to get almost seven or eight overs in if you really want to...in and around with warm-ups. I had a number of times where I bowled back-to-back days, again at high intensity, with the game being one of those," he noted.
One tactical adjustment the right-arm seamer is focused on in English conditions is pitching the ball a bit fuller.
"In the IPL games, I was probably hitting around that seven-to nine-meters in the powerplay, and not really threatening the stumps as much as you want to in Test cricket, in particular here in England," he said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"So, it'll just be about pushing that length and touch fuller and still getting that zip through the keeper," he added.
The Australian quick also underlined the value of having a reliable allrounder in the side, a role shared by Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh, and, more recently, Beau Webster. While Green won't be available to bowl until later in the year during the Ashes, and head coach Andrew McDonald hinted that Webster's overs might not be required in the final, Hazlewood remains a firm believer in the balance an allrounder brings.
"I think it's huge," he said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"I remember back to when we didn't have one...and it was brutal. It was tough work. I feel like you're just continually bowling, like you're almost following the next guy at the other end, and then you're switching ends. Gazza (Nathan Lyon) is from one end, and we all rotate," he added.
"So to have that bowler, (and) even to be honest, Travis (Head) and Marnus (Labuschagne), it only has to be a couple overs here and there just to give you that extra break to then be fresher, whether it be the second new ball or the next day or later on in the series. It just sort of snowballs if you don't have that allrounder and you're just continually bowling," he noted.