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Josh Hazlewood, the legendary Australian pacer, has claimed that he is not feeling the void of his Australian teammates Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins at RCB due to bowling alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the veteran Indian pacer.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the highest wicket-taker of the season and is leading the Purple Cap charts with 22 wickets after playing 12 games. He currently has the purple cap on his head, and his sublime accuracy has made him one of the most lethal bowlers with the new ball.
Josh Hazlewood puts Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the same level as Australian teammates
On flat wickets, they have been splendid, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood form the most promising bowling attack this season of the IPL. Their effectiveness in the power play has been extraordinary, while they have also been economical at the death.
The lanky Australian pacer opined that bowling with Bhuvneshwar Kumar makes him feel like he is bowling alongside his Australian teammates Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Hazlewood forms the pace bowling trio alongside the two greatest Aussie pacers of the generation.
"It's a little bit like bowling with Patty [Pat Cummins] and Starcy [Mitchell Starc] for Australia. Bhuvi probably pitches it up a little more and swings the ball. I can hit the seam and get a bit of bounce. It's nice to have balance in your attack. Last year and this year we've had a nice mix," ESPNcricinfo reported Hazlewood as saying.
A good finish despite a poor start to his spell is what excites Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood's experience and his exposure to international cricket are immense. Though Hazlewood has picked just 11 wickets after nine appearances this season, he has a very unique opinion on a pacer's ability to bounce back.
"If you're bowling on a flat wicket and go for 2 for 40 while everyone else goes for 50 or 60, I think those are the satisfying games," claimed Hazlewood.
He also opined that when the batting side dominates, and the bowlers get hit for runs initially, they should be able to bounce back and finish well in the game.
"But when the batting side is dominant and your first over goes for 20, and then you fight back with yorkers or changes of pace and finish with decent figures, those are the games I'm probably most proud of," Hazlewood explained.
Hazlewood opined that the RCB camp 'feels a bit like Australia'
Josh Hazlewood has praised the team balance in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru side, and everyone who is picking the playing XI would be pleased to hear it.
"We don't have Yash [Dayal] this year with the left-arm angle, but Rasikh [Salam] has stepped into that role nicely. Then we've got a legspinner [Suyash Sharma] and a left-arm spinner [Krunal Pandya].
"It feels a bit like Australia—every base is covered. If you've got three bowlers of the same style, the batter can get a pretty good read on what's happening. Different skills and different styles make it harder," the 35-year-old commented on the franchise.
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