"Australia need to cherry pick games for Josh Hazlewood," reckons Aaron Finch

Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the rest of the BGT 2024-25.

Former Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch has opined that the Australian selectors and team management need to “cherry pick” games for the injury-prone pacer Josh Hazlewood.

While Australia have not believed much in resting their players from test cricket – if a player is fit, he plays has been the norm – Finch reckons they might have to rethink over their policy for Hazlewood, who has dealt with multiple injury breaks since he became an all-format bowler in 2021.

Hazlewood has been ruled out of the rest of the ongoing BGT 2024-25. He played in the first test, where he suffered a side strain, forcing him to miss the second test. He returned for the third test but pulled up with a calf strain ahead of day 4 and bowled only one over before leaving the field.

Finch reflects on the “real concern” with Josh Hazlewood

Finch opined that Hazlewood is someone whose workload management will need to be carefully monitored and his selection in the XI should be condition-based.

Speaking on ESPN, Finch said, “With Hazlewood he’s getting injured more and more regularly so that would be a real concern. Think there’s an opportunity to maybe even cherry pick the games that he plays in the future. Everyone knows he’s in that best three bowlers in Australia, or best four adding Nathan Lyon, but you need him on the park… [So, Australia might have to consider] picking the best conditions for Josh Hazlewood to have an impact and rotate the rest around that.”

Ahead of the start of the BGT 2024-25, Hazlewood was asked about rest and rotation of the Aussie fast bowlers. Hazlewood, though, played down the suggestion, saying “We field the same question every year – if you’re fit, you play and if you’re not, you don’t play. It’s as simple as that, no one rests a Test match.”

The BGT 2024-25 currently stands locked at 1-1 with two tests to go.

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