AUS vs WI: Josh Hazlewood ruled out of second Test due to general soreness

Ahead of the second Test against West Indies, hosts Australia have been handed another setback as their key pacer Josh Hazlewood was ruled out. The second Test, which is scheduled to take place at the Adelaide Oval, will see Michael Neser coming in for Hazlewood. This is the second setback that Australia faced after their skipper Pat Cummins was ruled out.

Hazlewood will be sitting out of the game owing to ‘general soreness’ and Neser will join Scott Boland as the two complete Australia’s playing combination for the pink-ball day-night Test. When Australia played against England last year at the same venue, notably both Cummins and Hazlewood were out of the contest owing to their Covid-19 virus and injury concerns.

That was the game when Neser made his Test debut, but could not find himself a spot in the team ever since that contest. Having won the first Test at Perth by 164 runs, Australia will be flying high and will be hoping for a 2-0 clean-sweep. With two forced changes to their bowling lineup, the batters will be looking to make a big impact.

Australia look to continuing their unbeaten streak in pink-ball Tests

Speaking of the first game, Australia clinched a convincing victory over West Indies. The visitors did put up a show in the second innings when skipper Kraigg Brathwaite notched up a century, but the hosts dominated the game majorly and left no scope for the Windies to secure a win.

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith led the charge for Australia, as the former notched up twin centuries and the latter smashed a double-hundred in the first innings. The two batters have been in great touch in the red-ball format, and dismissing them early on will be West Indies’ main aim as they walk into the second Test.

The game being a day-night affair, Australia will have an upper hand as they have not lost a single pink-ball Test out of the ten that they have played so far.