Josh Hazlewood On Playing IPL Before WTC Final: 'Wherever I Am In The World...'
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Josh Hazlewood's return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after a shoulder injury has boosted the team, helping RCB secure their spot in the IPL final.
Josh Hazlewood's return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after an injury break has been a boon for the team and excellent preparation for the Australian pacer. He believes the intensity he is gaining in the IPL will be highly beneficial for the World Test Championship final against South Africa next month.
Having recovered from a shoulder injury, Hazlewood made his comeback in the IPL after a month-long absence and showed no signs of rust. His performance was instrumental in Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing their first playoff appearance since 2016 with an eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings.
His impressive display also bodes well for his preparation for the World Test Championship final against South Africa, commencing at Lord's on 7 June.
'I've got to be bowling, wherever I am in the world, to get ready for that game (WTC final)," Hazlewood commented after his first IPL game since April. 'There's no better place than out in the middle. You need more hours of training to build up for a Test, but for intensity, there's no better place than the IPL," he added after taking 2/16 in 3.1 overs.
Hazlewood is renowned for his relentless spells in Test cricket, but he has also significantly improved his T20 game. His hard lengths are challenging to counter, and on flatter pitches, he effectively utilises wide yorkers.
On Thursday night, the pitch conditions allowed him to bowl Test match lengths, resulting in match-winning figures. He dismissed the in-form Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis, destabilising the Punjab Kings' batting line-up.
'I don't bowl too differently in Test cricket than tonight," the seasoned Australian pacer remarked.
Discussing his recovery, Hazlewood explained, 'I worked really hard the last few weeks on the shoulder and got some good overs in the last 10 days. It feels good to be back. I was happy with tonight, the wicket helped. Not having to bowl fast yorkers or anything like that was a relief."
Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma also delivered a strong performance, ably supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal.
'We've got all bases covered. Any one of our five or six bowlers can bowl at any moment of the game, whether it's the start, middle, or end," Hazlewood stated. 'Having Bhuvi, who has so much experience and is quite calm, helps the rest of the attack. I'm similar to Bhuvi in that regard, focusing on skill and execution."
Conditions were favourable, and RCB capitalised effectively, bowling out the opposition for 101 and chasing the modest target in 10 overs.
'There was a bit of seam movement and inconsistent bounce, which we utilised well. The conditions were great for bowling first. Suyash targeted the middle order and has bowled well throughout the tournament. He got on a roll tonight," Hazlewood concluded.
First Published:
May 30, 2025, 13:10 IST
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