New Delhi, August 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood wants to maximise his ODI workload in the coming weeks as he builds towards the Test series against South Africa in October, saying maintaining bowling intensity is the best way forward after his successful return to Test cricket against Bangladesh.
Hazlewood is expected to be included in Australia’s ODI squads for tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, which are scheduled to be announced on Tuesday. With both series comprising three matches, the experienced pacer sees playing two games in each series as a potentially ideal workload.
“I think still the best way forward for me is to play as much as I can (within) reason. We’ve got two ODI series before that Test match series, so it might be playing two out of three in both of those. I think once you’re at that intensity, which we’re all at now, (it) is trying to maintain that as best we can,” Hazlewood told reporters at the launch of Play Cricket Week in Sydney.
The white-ball assignments will allow Hazlewood to maintain the rhythm he regained during Australia’s recent Test series against Bangladesh. He took seven wickets in the first Test in Darwin, his first Test appearance in more than a year, before claiming one wicket in the quick two-day Test in Mackay.
Hazlewood said he was particularly pleased with how his body responded after an extensive preparation period leading into the Bangladesh series.
“I’m very pleased with where I’m at physically. (I’ve) done a lot of work, probably the 10 weeks leading into that series; it was probably our last big training block before what’s to come. Very pleased to come out the other side pretty much unscathed,” he said.
Australia’s plans for the two ODI tours could differ, with Pat Cummins, the official ODI captain, expected to play only in the South Africa leg.
Selection could also be shaped by Australia’s concurrent Australia A red-ball tour of India, with some players potentially prioritised for that programme ahead of the five-match Border-Gavaskar series scheduled for January and February. Australia’s Test squad for South Africa is expected to be announced early next week.
Hazlewood also discussed South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, whose availability for the Test series is uncertain after a hamstring injury ruled him out of the ODI series.
“We don’t know exactly how bad the hamstring is. He seems to recover from any sort of niggle pretty quickly. He’s an unbelievable athlete. So I guess we don’t think about it too much this far out. Things will become clearer as we get closer. But I’m sure the batters would rather face someone else than KG,” Hazlewood said.
Meanwhile, Australia pace bowler Michael Neser remains hopeful of making the South Africa Test tour as he continues his recovery from a calf injury suffered during training ahead of the Bangladesh series.
Neser said he was ahead of schedule following a scan and remained focused on returning in time for selection.
“(I’m) actually ahead of schedule. I had another scan and results came back very good, so I’m progressing quite nicely,” Neser said after signing a new two-year Big Bash League deal with Brisbane Heat.
“South Africa is still on the cards and still what I’m aiming for. Obviously, it hasn’t been picked yet, but if all goes well with rehab and everything, I’ll be fit and ready for that.”
Neser’s return would give Australia additional pace-bowling depth alongside Hazlewood, Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, even if he is not an automatic selection in the starting XI.
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