Overview:
Hazlewood has spoken against this characterization, stating that Australia's senior bowlers are in form and have the mental strength to perform at the highest level.
Josh Hazlewood has rejected worries about the age of Australia’s pacers ahead of the Ashes, insisting that experience will play a more vital role in the upcoming Ashes series.
When the Ashes squad for Australia was announced, the English media quickly tagged it as “Dad’s Army,” noting that only Cameron Green, the 24-year-old all-rounder, falls under 30 in the 15-man squad. However, Hazlewood has spoken against this characterization, stating that Australia’s senior bowlers are in form and have the mental strength to perform at the highest level.
“I am in the best shape,” Hazlewood said to reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
“The experience we’ve gained, not just in red-ball cricket but across all formats, really adds up. We’ve been in so many situations over the years, learning a great deal both as individuals and as a team. We know each other’s games so well now, and we just feed off one another, which is a big help,” he said.
Australia are poised to begin the Ashes with a pace trio of Scott Boland, Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. At 35, Starc is still a crucial strike bowler, while the 36-year-old Boland brings precision and control. At 32, Pat Cummins is the youngest among Australia’s fast bowlers but won’t play in the first Test.
The veteran pacer Hazlewood accepted that the current fast-bowling group, central to Australia’s success since the 2017-18 Ashes, will one day need to step aside. However, he feels there’s no urgency for that shift.
“There will be a time when we move on, for sure, but I don’t believe that time is now.”
The opening Ashes Test kicks off in Perth on November 21, as Australia aims to continue their stronghold in this historic rivalry and defend the Ashes they’ve held since 2017.