IPL 2023: RCB pacer Hazelwood likely to return to action with clash against LSG

Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood is expected to return to the bowling crease for his side Royal Challengers Bangalore

New Delhi: Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood is expected to return to the bowling crease for his Indian Premier League (IPL) side Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for their match against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday.

Hazelwood sustained an Achilles injury during a Test match in Sydney in January and has since not featured in any format of the game.

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The Australian was initially selected for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India but was headed back home midway through the series midway to continue his rehabilitation from an Achilles complaint.

Cricket Australia medical staff have monitored Hazlewood’s recovery since he linked up with RCB earlier this month. Pending a successful final training run before the match in Lucknow, he is expected to be cleared to play, cricket.com.au reported.

Selection chief George Bailey has suggested Hazlewood will have the opportunity to gradually increase his bowling workload during the latter part of the IPL.

“He’s reasonably experienced, and he’s very professional so he knows exactly what and where he’ll need to be to be at his best for the Ashes. We’re in constant communication, as we are with all of the players around that, so he’ll be building and in some ways that smaller workload  through four-over bursts in the IPL might be a nice build for him,” said Bailey.

With his return to IPL, Hazlewood will begin his attempt to demonstrate his physical readiness for Australia’s upcoming six-Test tour of England, which includes the World Test Championship Final and the Ashes.

The 32-year-old was one of only four specialist pacemen named in the Aussies’ squad for the first half of their campaign in England.