Australia’s Ashes campaign has taken a dramatic blow.
Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the first Test in Perth, just three days after early scans had cleared him of any serious damage.
A second round of imaging confirmed a hamstring injury, forcing Hazlewood to withdraw completely from the Perth trip — a massive setback for a team already managing multiple fast-bowling injuries.
A Rollercoaster 72 Hours for Hazlewood
On Wednesday, Hazlewood walked off the field during New South Wales’ Shield match, reporting tightness in his hamstring.
Initial results seemed positive.
But follow-up scans revealed what Cricket Australia called an injury that “early imaging can occasionally underestimate.”
Hazlewood, sitting on 295 Test wickets, had looked in excellent rhythm recently — troubling India in the ODI series and bowling sharply in the Sheffield Shield. But for now, his Ashes start is officially over.
More Trouble: Cummins Out, Abbott Out — Australia Scramble for Options
As if one injury wasn’t enough, Australia’s pace unit is suddenly stretched thin.
- Pat Cummins: Already ruled out of the series opener due to a back injury
- Sean Abbott: Ruled out with a hamstring problem
- Josh Hazlewood: Now confirmed unavailable
This leaves Australia without its first-choice pace core.
Michael Neser Returns — Brendan Doggett Near Debut
Queensland’s swing bowler Michael Neser has been drafted into the squad again.
He has played two Tests, winning both, and remains a trusted backup option.
But the most exciting twist is the rise of Brendan Doggett.
Doggett has been on fire since returning from his own hamstring injury, grabbing 13 wickets in two matches. He had already been a reserve for the World Test Championship final and was set for the West Indies tour before injury.
If he debuts in Perth:
- He becomes Australia’s third Indigenous male Test cricketer, and
- It will be the first time two Indigenous players (Doggett & Scott Boland) appear together in a Test XI.
A huge moment in Australian cricket history.
England’s Worries Too — But Avoid a Scare
Interestingly, England had their own brief panic when Mark Wood felt hamstring tightness during the warm-up game.
He went for scans.
The ECB later confirmed he was clear.
Both teams now enter Perth with fast-bowling concerns hanging over them.
Cummins Pushing for Brisbane Return
Even though Cummins won’t feature in the opener, he has been ramping up his training.
He revealed he bowled at around 90% intensity during a recent SCG net session.
His target?
A potential return at the Gabba, though he admitted it’s an “aggressive” recovery timeline.
Pace Depth Being Tested Like Never Before
Australia’s fast-bowling depth is officially under pressure.
If more injuries strike, selectors may be forced to look further down the list:
- Jhye Richardson — returning from shoulder surgery
- Xavier Bartlett — another rising quick who could feature later in the series
With the Ashes opener days away, the Aussies are suddenly scrambling to stabilize their attack.
Final Word
The Ashes opener is supposed to set the tone.
Instead, Australia enter Perth with:
- No Cummins
- No Hazlewood
- No Abbott
- A patched-together pace group
- Pressure rising by the minute
With England arriving confident and aggressive, this injury saga may prove decisive in shaping the early momentum of the series.
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