Josh Hazlewood opens India's old pink-ball Test wounds with brutal 36 all-out reminder: ‘They just kept nicking'

Josh Hazlewood opens India's old pink-ball Test wounds with brutal 36 all-out reminder: ‘They just kept nicking'

8 days ago | 5 Views

Premier Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood walked down memory lane and recalled the Adelaide Test from 2022 when the hosts bundled out India for just 36 in the pink-ball Test. The star paceman claimed a five-wicket haul and broke India's back in the series opener as Australia went on to win the match by eight wickets. The Aussie pace troika hit the right areas to cause trouble for the Indian batters, who kept nicking the ball behind the stumps to run riot with the pink ball.

However, Australia will be missing the services of Hazlewood in the pink-ball Test this time as he has been ruled out of the upcoming match in Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to side strain.

Recalling the 2020 pink-ball Test, Hazlewood said that he was trying to hit the right areas to put pressure on the batters and not do anything fancy.

"I remember coming on as the first change. They just kept nicking everything. I didn't really plan it. I was just trying to hit the length. We were off to a good start - they were 3 for 15 - so I was trying to apply the pressure and keep it going, not trying to do anything fancy, just hitting the line and length," Hazlewood told cricket.com.au.

The Aussie paceman asserted that it wasn't the best phase for bowling as India had taken the lead in the first innings, but everything fell into place for them.

"They were a couple of wickets down overnight, and I don't think I bowled that night. Then we came back the next day- it's the toughest time to bowl when you're in the second innings and they've got a lead, so you're trying to attack and take wickets, while not leaking runs. It's a tough little period of bowling, so I guess things just fell into place that way," he added.

‘Ajinkya Rahane was a pretty big wicket in that series’

Talking further about the wickets he claimed in the innings, Hazlewood asserted that Ajinkya Rahane's scalp was a big one considering his record Down Under.

"Rahane was a pretty big wicket in that series, particularly in Australia. He's a good player. It was the fifth ball of the first over, so I wasn't trying to do anything special. The pink ball was doing enough on it's own. (Ashwin's wicket) It wasn't a big nick, but there was definitely a noise. That was my 200th wicket - a very fine nick. I guess I was on a hat-trick, so I celebrated that one a bit more," said Hazlewood.

Meanwhile, according to Hazlewood, it was Hanuma Vihari's wicket which exposed the Indian tail and helped Australia wrap the innings at just 36.

"(Vihari's wicket) It was the sort of situation where a batter was batting with the tail. At that stage, even though they had only scored 80-odd runs (lead), if the recognized batter gets on a roll with the strike, the innings can drag out. So, it's always good to get the established batter out and leave two tail-enders together," he added.

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