Big Blow For Australia! Josh Hazlewood Taken For Scans After Bowling One Over In 3rd Test Vs India

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Australia's hopes of winning the third Test took a major hit on the fourth day after Josh Hazlewood was sent for scans.

Hazlewood, who had been sidelined for the second Test due to a side strain and underwent multiple fitness tests before this match, appeared uncomfortable ahead of play on Tuesday.

Following discussions with the coaches and physio, he initially stayed off the field but returned later. He bowled just one over before the drinks break, with his first delivery lacking pace and direction.

Physio Nick Jones attended to Hazlewood during the break, and the visibly disappointed pacer walked off the field shortly after. Although Hazlewood had been seen stretching his side earlier, the team later confirmed it was a recurrence of his previous injury.

"Josh Hazlewood reported calf awareness in this morning's warmup. He will be taken for scans to assess the injury. Any updates will be shared in due course'', a statement said.

The 33-year-old didn't play any part in the three-match T20I series against Scotland in August 2024 and has has featured in only 17 of Australia's 35 Tests since 2021.

He suffered a side strain during the opening Test of the 2022-23 summer in Perth, forcing him to miss the first two matches of the series against South Africa. Upon his return, an Achilles injury ruled him out of the four-Test series against India after the Australian summer. He also sat out the World Test Championship final due to another side strain.

Hazlewood remains one of the top bowlers in world cricket. However, his absence in this match will significantly affect Australia's chances, as enforcing the follow-on was their best route to victory.

This scenario will add substantial pressure on Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, even if Mitch Marsh and Nathan Lyon take on additional bowling duties. A match where Australia held the upper hand may now require careful management to ensure the remaining bowlers remain fit for the upcoming Melbourne Test.

At the time of writing this article, it's lunch time in Brisbane and India are struggling at 167/5.