Hazlewood will join the Australian squad after precautionary scans cleared him of muscle strain.
With barely a few days remaining for the 2025-26 Ashes series opener in Perth, Australia's star fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott suffered injury scares while playing in a Sheffield Shield match on Wednesday (November 12).
Playing for New South Wales against Victoria at Sydney Cricket Ground, Hazlewood and Abbott didn’t take the field after lunch on Day 3.
Fortunately for Australia, Hazlewood will join the Australian squad for the first Ashes Test after precautionary scans cleared him of muscle strain.
"He will train as planned in the lead up to the first Test in Perth," a Cricket Australia spokesperson said of Hazlewood, as quoted by cricket.com.au.
Abbott, on the other hand, will not be available for selection after scans confirmed a moderate grade hamstring injury.
"He will not be available for selection for the first Test match in Perth and his return to play plan will be developed over the coming weeks," CA's spokesperson said of Abbott.
Hazlewood’s absence could have been a body blow to the hosts, who are already without the services of captain and legendary pacer Pat Cummins.
Hazlewood bowled a total of 18 overs for New South Wales in the first innings and nine in the second. He remained wicketless in the first essay, and dismissed Victoria wicketkeeper Sam Harper in the second. Harper was caught by Abbott, who returned with figures of 4 for 18 in the second innings.
Besides Hazlewood and Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland are also appearing in the ongoing match at SCG.
Starc and Lyon claimed four wickets each for the hosts in the first innings, and Boland finished with figures of 2 for 27 in the first innings on Tuesday.
Boland is expected to replace Cummins in the XI and play alongside Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc at the Optus Stadium