Border Gavaskar Trophy: Who will replace Josh Hazlewood for the Adelaide Test?

Australia did not have an ideal start to the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Perth against India. With the first Test turning against the Aussies, things are far from being back on track. Ace seamer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the next BGT Test. The second match of the five-match series is scheduled to be a day-night affair at the Adelaide Oval. While India registered a commanding 295-run victory at the Optus Stadium, the odds favor Australia for the second Test. The last time India played a pink-ball Test at Adelaide, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins wreaked havoc. Hazlewood took 5 wickets, and Cummins claimed 4 as the visitors collapsed for just 36 runs in the second innings of the 2020-21 BGT contest. However, the Kangaroos will face a resurgent India without Hazlewood this time.

Border Gavaskar Trophy: Scott Boland frontrunning to replace an injured Hazlewood in the Adelaide Test

As India aimed to get in the pink ball rhythm through the warm-up match against Prime Ministers XI, Australia faced a significant setback. Josh Hazlewood, the top wicket-taker for the hosts in the opening Test has been ruled out of the second Test in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The second Test, a pink-ball day-night fixture, is set to commence on December 6 in Adelaide. Cricket Australia informed that Hazlewood is sidelined from the upcoming contest due to a "low-grade left side injury."

Australia will dearly miss Hazlewood in the clash against India at the Adelaide Oval. While Australia lost the Perth match, Hazlewood was clinical in the first innings, where he took four wickets to restrict India to just 150. The pacer eventually finished with figures of 5/57 in the match. However, the responsibility will now fall heavily on Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins in Adelaide. While Hazlewood's absence has been confirmed, uncertainty looms over the availability of all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. The pace-bowling all-rounder showed signs of fatigue in the opener, with Marnus Labuschagne stepping in to complete the overs for the hosts at Perth.

In Hazlewood's absence, Australia called up Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett in the squad. Both Abbott and Doggett enter the fray with notable performances in the Sheffield Shield under their belts. Abbott claimed figures of 4 for 71 in 16 overs during his recent outing against Tasmania at the SCG. The seasoned pacer also boasts an impressive tally of 261 first-class wickets. On the other hand, Doggett made waves with a five-wicket haul against Western Australia, bringing his Shield season total to 11 scalps in just three matches. He further showcased his prowess with career-best figures of 6 for 15 in a match against India A in McKay, cementing his case for selection.

While Abbott is a seasoned domestic pick, both him and Brendan Dogget are yet to earn the national cap. Doggett and Abbott have previously been part of Australia Test squads without debuting. Doggett assisted the squad back in 2018 for the Pakistan series in the UAE. Meanwhile, Abbott was part of the squad during the 2020-21 series against India, as well as the Ashes last year. However, Hazlewood's injury doesn't lay a direct path for either of the seamers in the Playing XI for the Adelaide Test.

Reportedly, Scott Boland, who is already included in Australia's squad for the five-match series, is frontrunning the race to play the second clash against India. The seamer is playing the warm-up match against India at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. The pacer who debuted in the longest format in 2021, has scalped 28 wickets in 6 matches played so far at home. Moreover, the seamer has played two Tests against India and picked 5 wickets during the Australia Tour of India last year.