Will be tough for selectors to pick team for the first game: Josh Hazlewood

Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood is confident of putting up a good show in the upcoming edition of the Champions Trophy. The Australian squad boasts of four quality pacers in Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, and Pat Cummins. In addition to these four, there is John Hastings in the line up as well. Certainly, the Aussie camp has a big number to boast about in the bowling department.

As per the quotes in Cricbuzz, Josh Hazlewood recently spoke at length about the various prospects of bowling with fellow pacers and the chances of the Australian lineup in the upcoming mega event. He noted that the bowlers have had injuries in the past but that should be much of a concern now. This is how the game works and the players are now fit and raring to unleash.

“Obviously over the last 6-12 months there’s been a few people rested from different tours and we’ve had injuries as well. That’s just the way the schedule is. Every player of the 15 puts a good case forward when you look at it on paper so it’s going to be tough work for the selectors,” Josh Hazlewood quoted.

He further added that over the years, he has grown up with Mitch Starc. The bonhomie between the players in the team camp is something worth appreciation. He believes all the bowlers in the pace department are equally capable. The selectors and the team management will have their task cut out when they try to get the combinations right ahead of the first game of the tournament.

“We’ve grown up playing against each other in different tournaments … so it’s great to have us all here together and bowling well. (Starc and I) have been playing the majority of the past two or three years together and we’ve been doing really well. But the other two are unbelievable bowlers in their own right so it’s going to be a tough gig for the selectors for that first game,” quoted the pace bowler.

He mentioned that playing the two warm up games would surely help the players train better and get fit for the bigger stage. Hazlewood is looking forward to the tournament. “We’ve obviously got a couple of warm-up games and a bit more training to go so we’ll enjoy the next week leading in,” he quipped.

On pay dispute

In the recent times, the Australian cricketers have been at the loggerheads with Cricket Australia over the pay disputes. Speaking on this, Josh Hazlewood remarked that the current priority is Champions Trophy and the team is focusing on that. When the time comes, they will worry about the pay disputes as well.

“It’s all about cricket for me. It’s all about the Champions Trophy, we’ll worry about that (pay dispute) when the time comes. ACA is our representative and we trust and believe that they will do what it is best for the game,” conceded Hazlewood.