Australia ke liye yeh ek bada jhatka tha kyunki Hazlewood ek aise bowler hain jo kabhi bhi match ka rukh palat sakte hain. Unki absence mein team ko Scott Boland jaise bowlers par depend karna pada, jo apne aap mein shandaar hain, lekin Hazlewood ki jagah bharna asaan nahi. Pichhle saal Perth aur Brisbane mein bhi Hazlewood ke injuries ne team ko pareshaan kiya, jahan woh apni shuruaati rhythm ke bawajood break down ho gaye.
Lekin ab baat kuch aur hai. Hazlewood is baar WTC 2025 final ke liye poori tarah se tayaar dikh rahe hain. Unka kehna hai ki woh apne career ke sabse behtareen form mein hain. Yeh baat unhone khud kahi jab woh England mein nets mein practice kar rahe the. Unki bowling mein ek naya josh dikh raha hai. IPL 2024 mein Royal Challengers Bengaluru ke liye unhone 22 wickets liye, jo unki shandaar form ka saboot hai. Yeh wahi Hazlewood hain jinhone 2024 mein Adelaide Test mein career-best 9/79 figures diye the, jisse unhone sabko yaad dilaya ki woh world-class bowler kyun hain. Unki bowling mein ab ek nayi sharpness hai, jahan woh Test cricket ke liye perfect length aur zip dono laa rahe hain. Australia ke liye yeh ek bada bonus hai, khaas kar jab South Africa jaisi strong batting line-up ke khilaaf khelna hai.
Hazlewood ka confidence dekhkar yaad aata hai jab 2019 Ashes mein unke saath Pat Cummins aur Mitchell Starc ne England ke batsmen ko pareshan kiya tha. Us series mein Australia ne apni bowling ke dam par 2-2 se draw kiya, lekin Hazlewood ka contribution kamaal ka tha. Ab WTC final mein bhi unki yahi form Australia ke liye game-changer ho sakti hai. Team ke all-rounders jaise Cameron Green aur Mitchell Marsh bhi unka saath de rahe hain, jo batting aur bowling dono mein balance laate hain. Hazlewood ka yeh bhi kehna hai ki all-rounders ka role team ke liye kitna important hai, aur yeh baat unhone 2020-21 series ke baad se dekhi hai jab Green aur Marsh ne team ko support kiya.
Lekin chinta ab bhi baaki hai. Hazlewood ki injury history unke liye ek bada risk hai. Pichhle kuch seasons mein unhone back-to-back Tests khelne mein dikkat mehsoos ki hai, aur yeh WTC final jaisa high-pressure match unke body par bhaari pad sakta hai. Australia ke liye yeh final bohot important hai, aur agar Hazlewood beech mein break down hote hain, toh Scott Boland ko mauka mil sakta hai, jo khud ek shandaar bowler hain. Team management ko unki fitness par nazar rakhni hogi, kyunki ek chhoti si galti bhi Australia ke World Test Championship jeetne ke sapne ko tod sakti hai.
