Hazlewood Injury Update: Major Blow for Australia Before Ashes 2025

The Ashes 2025-26 is all set to commence on November 21 in Perth. The stage is set for the clash between Australia and England, one of the greatest rivalry in cricket. The batting, bowling, and fielding are top-notch in all the games. If we see the head-to-head stats, Australia has been dominating the series recently due to some of the strongest players in the team, including captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and many more.

However, the story might change this time since there is an injury scare for Australia ahead of the Ashes 2025. Some of the star players are reportedly injured, which might cause a problem for the home team.

Josh Hazlewood Sustains Injury During Sheffield Shield Match

Australia's star bowler Josh Hazlewood has sustained an injury during the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Victoria at the SCG. He went off the field on day three but didn't return, raising concerns. After Hazlewood injury, Sean Abbott also went back to the pavilion but didn't return later. As per the reports, both players were under observation, and detailed information was yet to be given by the management. There is an update on Hazlewood and it's a good news for Australia that he can play in the first Test.

Both are the best bowlers in the team, and their absence, even for one or two games, could have given England the edge to get past the home team and win the matches. This is an important series since the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is going on, and Australia is leading the points table with three consecutive wins. Meanwhile, England is still struggling to make their way in the points table. Interestingly, England has never played in the WTC finals despite playing many Test matches in a year. Hence, it will be interesting to see how the Ashes 2025 series goes for both teams.

Pat Cummins to Miss First Test Against England

Australia's captain Pat Cummins is set to miss the first Test against England as he is recovering from his lumbar stress injury. This means that England can take advantage of the situation and put the hosts on the back foot in the first match. Cummins has been one of the best test bowler in the world as well as an incredible leader in the past. Not having him around in the series opener might be a demotivating point for Australia. However, Steve Smith will lead the team in the first Test against England.

Australia will still have Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Scott Boland in the team, who have the match-winning skills. They have proven their talent before, and in the absence of the captain, they'll have to do it again. However, the management will still keep an eye on players who are busy playing in the Sheffield Shield matches, which include Starc, Lyon, and Boland. It will be intriguing to watch Australia tackle the situation without the presence of Pat Cummins in the first Test match. However, Smith does have some captaincy skills that might help them win the game in Ashes 2025.