Australia Love Brisbane, Touring Sides Don't Like To Play At The Gabba: Josh Hazlewood

Australian pacer, Josh Hazlewood feels that the hosts have an advantage over India when they play at the Gabba for the fourth and last Test of the series commencing on January 15. After the drawn third Test match in Sydney, the series stands level. Australia will have to win the last Test to claim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy; any other result would mean India retains the trophy.

The Brisbane Cricket Ground – which is the official name of The Gabba – is a happy hunting ground for Australia; they haven’t lost a Test since 1988 and are on a 7-match winning streak at the venue. On the other hand, India has lost 5 of their 6 matches, and 1 draw at the Gabba.

It’s an awesome place to play: Josh Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood has been in menacing form in the series. While Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon haven’t been at their best, Hazlewood and Pat Cummins haven’t given the Indian batsman an inch; Cummins has taken 15 wickets and Josh Hazlewood has scalped 11 wickets in the series so far.

The 30-year-old rattled the Indian batting line-up in Adelaide with figures of 5/8; along with Cummins, both the seamers bowled the visitors out for their lowest ever Test innings total.

Hazlewood says that the Australian pacers will enjoy the conditions in Brisbane due to its extra bounce compared to the SCG. Josh Hazlewood has taken 23 wickets at the Gabba in five matches; he took a five-wicket haul in the very first innings he bowled at Gabba.

“All Australians love playing up there. We probably grow a leg given the record we’ve got. We know touring sides don’t like to play there, so that puts us a bit ahead before a ball is bowled. I guess we thrive on that. It’s an awesome place to play. Very much an Australian venue, I’ve always enjoyed playing there,” Josh Hazlewood told AAP.

The lanky pacer Josh Hazlewood also added that the pace bowling trio isn’t tired, on the contrary, they won’t mind bowling in Brisbane, despite being in the field for 131 overs in Sydney, and still not dismissing India out.

“It’s probably the freshest we have felt while turning up to Sydney at this time of year, for a very long time. Back to back is fine … even if we bowl 40-plus overs here, we’ll be OK for Brisbane,” Josh Hazlewood added.

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