Colombo [Sri Lanka], June 5 (ANI): Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood said that the side could go one less quick against Sri Lanka in the upcoming T20, ODI, and Test series as conditions are different in the sub-continent.
“We’re lucky to have Cam Green there to cover a lot of bases and obviously you need airspeed on those wickets to have an impact,” said Hazlewood as per cricket.com.au.
“We obviously know the three of us (Cummins, Starc, and himself) are going to play in most conditions and it’s probably me who’s a bit slower on airspeed who drops out on spinning wickets,” he added.
“We even could go one less quick in Sri Lanka with what we could get. We know we all play a role and we’re better in different conditions than others at certain times,” said Hazlewood.
“But I think just that blend of all three of us (being) a little bit different really helps throughout a Test match and throughout a Test series,” added Josh.
Recently, Australia won the three-match Test series against host team Pakistan with a 1-0 margin. The Series started on March 4 and the first two Tests resulted in a draw.
Kangaroos won the third Test match by 115 runs where Usman Khawaja was declared as player of the series. He scored 496 runs in 5 innings and skipper Pat Cummins was the man of the match. He took a five-wicket haul.
Hazlewood played the first match and was out of the team for the second and third Test as wicket conditions were spin favorable and Leg spinner Mitchell Swepson was added to the team as a replacement.
“I was fine with it. Obviously, the conditions dictate the bowling line-up in the subcontinent and, after playing on that first (Test) wicket, I was pretty happy to just sit on the sidelines for the next two,” said Hazlewood.
The 31-year-old also talked about his white-ball cricket experience and how things had gone strength to strength for him.
“The white-ball, and T20 stuff, has gone from strength to strength. It was maybe two or three seasons ago now, I played the last couple of games (for the Sixers in 2019-20) and then we ended up winning the semi and the final against the Stars,” said Josh.
“It was probably that period where I made a conscious effort to get back into T20 cricket. It was so hard before logistically with tours overlapping other tours and you had to pick and choose what you wanted to play for Australia,” he added.
“I just took that opportunity to play the Big Bash and that just led to playing for Chennai for a couple of years. I just ended up playing more and more games as time went on, getting more exposure to it and getting a bit more consistency in it. And then here we are,” said Hazlewood.
Australia will face Sri Lanka in three-match T20I series starting on June 7.
Sri Lanka T20 squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan. Standby: Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella
Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade. (ANI)