Is Josh Hazlewood an automatic inclusion for the third Test in Brisbane?

Should Australia bring Josh Hazlewood back for the third Test in Brisbane?

The consistent seamer missed the second Test win in Adelaide because of a side strain with Scott Boland his replacement.

It’s a good dilemma that selectors find themselves with given the New South Welshman says he’s ticked every box this week after suffering the minor injury in the Perth defeat.

While Hazlewood has been in Australia’s first-choice bowling attack alongside Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc whenever fit, Boland did a brilliant job in replacing him in Adelaide, taking a combined 5/105 across two innings.

Boland took the crucial wickets of Shubman Gill and Indian captain Rohit Sharma in the first innings before dismissing dangerous duo Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli (as well as tail-ender Mohammed Siraj) in the second dig.

Despite that contribution, SEN Cricket’s Tom Morris believes Hazlewood is an automatic selection if 100 per cent fit, but he’s not sure he’d be taking Boland out if the former is anything short of full fitness.

Morris discussed his potential return ahead of the important third Test at the Gabba with co-host Bharat Sundaresan on SEN’s The New Ball.

Morris: “Josh Hazlewood's fitness is intriguing because of his health and team selection with Scott Boland and the job that he did in Adelaide.

“The noise that the Australians are making is that Hazlewood will be fit in which case he clearly replaces Scott Boland.

“He can't replace Mitch Starc or Pat Cummins, which is desperately unlucky for Boland.

“But if Hazlewood is not 100 per cent fit, I wonder what they do. Do they trust him to get through potentially 35 or 40 overs for the Test match?

“He bowled for 20 minutes yesterday, then had a break, and then bowled for another 20 minutes after that.

“It’s Tuesday and they’re playing on Saturday, it sounds like he’s in.”

Sundaresan: “It does sound like he's in and just listening to him there … just listening to him you can hear that keenness to come back and play Test cricket again, he doesn’t want to miss any more Tests.

“He missed enough during that 18-month period home and away and even if he's 90 per cent fit, I'd be surprised if he doesn't just slot back in. 

“I guess they might just wait to see what the pitch is like at the Gabba because we've seen in the last couple of years the pitch can be a little flat.

“However, the last time India played at the Gabba or even when West Indies beat Australia at the Gabba, those were January Test matches. 

“This is a December Test, so I think the pitch will be slightly more fresh than what we saw for those two games.

“Regardless, I think if Josh is near 100 per cent fitness, he just plays.”

Hazlewood has a brilliant record with the ball in Brisbane, taking 37 wickets from eight Gabba games at an average of 23.75. 

The third Test between Australia and India in Brisbane begins on Saturday, listen to every ball LIVE on SEN and the SEN app.

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