Australia vs India 2020-21: Josh Hazlewood Wishes For Adelaide Test To Be Shifted To Brisbane
Published - 18 Nov 2020, 06:54 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:37 AM
Australian pacer, Josh Hazlewood feels it would benefit the team if the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is shifted to The Gabba in Brisbane from Adelaide Oval in the wake of the worsened COVID-19 situation in South Australia.
The coronavirus cases in the state of South Australia have risen significantly recently which has created uncertainties around the first Test match of the four-match series in Adelaide.
Australia will host India for six white-ball games and four Test matches. The limited-overs leg commences on 27th November. The high-voltage Border-Gavaskar series will begin on 17th December with a pink-ball day-night Test in Adelaide followed by the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, New Year’s Test in Sydney, and the last Test match in Australia’s fortress, Brisbane.
It’s a great place to start: Josh Hazlewood
The fact that Australia enjoys a great record in Brisbane has made Josh Hazlewood opine that it would be a good idea to shift the Adelaide Test. Australia hasn’t lost a Test match at the Gabba since 1988. Gabba has been Australia’s fortress for a long time, however, on India’s previous tour -which the visitors won 2-1 – no Test was played in Brisbane. This time, instead of Perth, Gabba will host a game.
The lanky pacer said that it wouldn’t be an absurd idea to change venues considering the outbreak of the virus in South Australia. The 29-year-old believes that Australian pacers can make the best of the conditions in December than in late January.
He realizes the good record of his team in Gabba and says it could be a great venue to kick off the series. The right-hander has excellent bowling stats in Brisbane- 23 wickets in 5 matches including a 5 wicket-haul.
Josh Hazlewood was quoted by news agency, Reuters, “It probably would be (the Gabba) to be fair.
“I think the longer we wait the hotter it gets up there so the quicks would all be happy to get that game done in early December. We obviously have a really good record (in Brisbane) and it’s a great place to start.”
Josh Hazlewood, who played for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, has been a consistent performer for the Australian team. He picked 33 wickets in eight matches last year, including a five-for at Headingley in the Ashes. He is likely to be teamed up with Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon to take on India.
Tim Paine, the Aussie skipper, has got into self-isolation, and players preparing for the Big Bash League are moved to the New South Wales coast. However, Cricket Australia has said that not only the matches will go according to the schedule, but they are also expecting to host over 25,000 capacity crowd in Adelaide and Melbourne.
Also Read: England To Host India, Sri Lanka And Pakistan In A Jam-Packed 2021 Summer
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