Mitchell Starc is expected to be fit for the Ashes Boxing Day test after a rib injury, but the fitness of Josh Hazlewood is a doubt.
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After winning the Brisbane and Adelaide test, the Australian side is aiming to win the Ashes in Melbourne. Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the next Ashes 2021-22 test on Boxing Day. They have named an unchanged squad for the remaining three games.
Mitchell Starc suffered a rib injury while batting in the second test, but he bowled his quota of overs. He is expected to be fit for the Melbourne test, whereas Pat Cummins is also set to be available. However, the fitness of Josh Hazlewood is still a thing of worry. Hazlewood returned home after the Brisbane test due to a side strain.
Mitchell Starc to be fit for the Ashes Boxing Day test; Hazlewood is a doubt
Australian coach Justin Langer expects Mitchell Starc to be fit, but Hazlewood’s fitness is a concern.
“It’s just [Starc’s] rib actually,” Langer said.
“A lot of the bowlers talk about when they come back to Test cricket, bowl more overs, they jam down on that rib area so he should be fine. He’s tough.”
“If he’s not right, then we’ll look at it. But at this stage, there’s no indication suggesting he won’t be playing the next Test. We will wait and see how Josh Hazlewood pulls up, he arrives this afternoon.”
Justin Langer hails Starc’s performance in the Adelaide test and calls him the “leader” of the pace attack.
“I honestly thought Mitch Starc was almost the man of the match last game,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of talk about Mitch Starc for the last few years but he just keeps turning up. He’s an unbelievable athlete. He’s incredibly fit.”
Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser bowled incredibly well in the Adelaide test in the absence of Starc and Hazlewood. Richardson took a fifer in the last game, and he is the favourite to replace Hazlewood.
Looking at the injury to their pacers, Australia have added Scott Boland to the side. He joined the squad in Adelaide and helped the side in training for the game. Scott Boland has scalped 15 wickets in just two of Sheffield Shield 2021-22, and his form has been excellent.
