IPL 2023: Josh Hazlewood to miss the remainder of the tournament, returns to Australia – Reports
Josh Hazlewood's recurring injury kept him out for the first half of the tournament, limiting him to three games upon his return.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered a huge blow ahead of their must-win game against Gujarat Titans, as seamer Josh Hazlewood has reportedly been ruled out for the rest of the tournament due to a recurring Achilles strain.
Notably, Josh Hazlewood was sidelined for the first half of the tournament due to the recurring injury, limiting his appearances to just three games upon his comeback, where he picked up as many wickets at an economy rate of 8.44.
According to reports, he has flown back to Australia, where he will undergo rehabilitation with the aim of getting match-fit for the upcoming WTC final, set to be played between Australia and India at The Oval next month in June.
Earlier in February, Hazlewood stated that his focus and priority lie in Test cricket:
“As fun as T20 is and as lucrative as it is, I find it still plays second fiddle to Test cricket,” Hazlewood had said as quoted by cricket.com.au.
“This series, Ashes series, home summers are what you play cricket for. I don’t think that will ever change.”
“I’ve chatted with guys at Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW…to get a plan together (to manage his body). It’s probably about short-term loss versus long-term gain a lot of the time. You’ve got a T20 World Cup or an IPL or a one-day series, it’s about still ticking those boxes off the field to be ready to go for a Test series,” Hazlewood added.
So far in the tournament, Royal Challengers Bangalore has played 13 matches, managing to win six games while losing seven. With 12 points accumulated, they currently occupy the fifth spot on the points table. Their upcoming match against Gujarat Titans is a must-win contest for them if they have to qualify for the playoffs.