Hazlewood’s chances of playing against CSK – Will he or won’t he?

Josh Hazlewood. Image :X

As the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s players practiced at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium, the eyes tried to zoom in on one player. Generally, it is about spotting Virat Kohli, the Pied Piper of RCB. As it happened, Kohli was thwacking some imperious shots down the ground in the centre net. But for once Kohli wasn’t the cynosure of the onlookers sitting in the P1 stand. Instead, it was Josh Hazlewood, the RCB spearhead, rehabilitating from an Achilles tendon injury.

Despite Hazlewood being the centre of attraction, the eyes couldn’t spot Hazlewood practicing at the centre net. Yours truly still wondered – He must be somewhere around. Eventually, in a few minutes time, a tall fast bowler was seen ushering in a few deliveries at the side net. The fluid and long strides, the rhythmic approach and the tall frame – everything pointed to Hazlewood. Although the veteran pace bowler was bowling from just a few paces. At that moment, a thought flashed in the mind – Perhaps he isn’t going to bowl from his full run-up for the day.

As your eyes zeroed in on Kohli, it felt as if Hazlewood had disappeared out of sight. In reality, he had walked over to the centre net for a long session of bowling. The observant eyes noticed that he was now marking his full run-up. And for the next hour or so, Hazlewood charged in more like the Hazlewood that we have come to admire over 15 years or so years.

It was about taking one step at a time. Initially, Hazlewood bowled a few fuller-length offerings. That was followed by the good-length ones. However, for the first 30-40 minutes of his spell, none of his offerings were on a hard length; his key strength. Another thought echoed in the mind, ‘Maybe he wouldn’t really snap his back hard and pound it on a back of a length.’

And within the next minute or two, he had employed his hit-the-deck skills to bowl a short delivery. On a light-hearted note, maybe it was a work of telepathy between the aforesaid journalist and the fast bowler. Whatever the case, by then it was quite clear that RCB were looking to test Hazlewood’s match fitness. An indicator that the RCB lynchpin couldn’t be far away from playing for the franchise this season. Soon, Hazlewood seemed satisfied with his workout as he stepped away from the bowling crease and indulged in some catching drills.

The all-important question still needs an answer. What to make of Hazlewood’s chances of playing against CSK? Probably there is a decent chance of him partaking in the game. If not the game against CSK, one could take a hunch on Hazlewood playing in the RCB-RR match in Guwahati. After all, a  bowler who trains for about an hour in the nets can’t be far away from being match ready.

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