Brisbane: Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is “frustrated” by the timing of his injury after he was ruled out of the remaining two Tests against India due to a right calf strain sustained during the drawn third match at the Gabba.
Hazlewood, who had also missed the second Test (pink-ball) in Adelaide — which Australia won by 10 wickets — due to a side strain, described the latest injury as “random”.
“Just frustrating really. Ticked every box heading into the (third) Test, I could understand if it was my side again, but it was just a random calf strain,” he told 7NEWS.
“It’s just the timing again, they are only little 2-3 week injuries, it’s just the timing of it and missing big games is the frustrating thing.”
The 33-year-old Hazlewood was sent for scans after just one over of bowling on the fourth day after hurting his right calf in the warm-up before play. The injury only turned out to be a strain, but it’s expected to be serious enough to end his home Test summer early.
“Obviously, do a deep dive into it and see what we can come up with … feels pretty random,” he said.
“I’ve had a history of sides and calves, they’re probably the two things that have kept me out for the majority over the last four years.
“But yeah I sort of just keep adding another layer to the defence hopefully, get back into the gym, I’ve ticked a lot of boxes over the last 12 months.”
Hazlewood said he does not want to rush back to action before regaining full fitness, which he is hoping to achieve by the two-match Test tour of Sri Lanka in late January and February.
“That’s probably the goal, just take it as it comes over the next few weeks,” he said.
“No rush to get anything in a hurry, it’s just getting everything right. Probably take a few extra days here and there. Ticking things off and getting everything right.”
