Australia’s preparations for the opening Ashes Test have taken a major hit after fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was ruled out with a low-grade hamstring tear uncovered during a second round of scans. The injury, picked up during a recent Sheffield Shield match, had initially appeared minor, but fresh imaging confirmed the strain, forcing the experienced seamer out of the first Test in Perth on 21 November.
Hazlewood’s withdrawal adds to Australia’s growing injury list, with captain Pat Cummins already sidelined due to lumbar bone stress. Of their three senior fast bowlers, only Mitchell Starc remains available, leaving the hosts scrambling for depth just days before the series begins. Sean Abbott, who suffered a similar hamstring problem in the same match as Hazlewood, has also been ruled out, prompting selectors to add Michael Neser to the squad as cover.
Cricket Australia indicated that early scans often fail to fully capture low-grade muscle injuries, and the follow-up assessment confirmed the damage was more serious than first believed. Hazlewood, who turns 35 at the end of the series, had shown promising form in recent white-ball matches but has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, including a side strain that forced him out of multiple Tests last year.
While Australia grapple with depleted bowling stocks, England received a timely boost after Mark Wood was cleared of a suspected hamstring issue. Wood had reported discomfort during England’s warm-up match against the Lions, raising fears of another setback for the pace-dependent attack. However, precautionary scans revealed no injury, and he is expected to resume full training ahead of the Perth Test.
Although Wood will sit out the final day of the warm-up fixture, he remains available for selection for the Ashes opener. His return is particularly significant given England’s strategy of relying on high-pace bowling, with both Wood and Jofra Archer managed carefully through recent injury recoveries.
There was further good news for England as Brydon Carse recovered from stomach issues that had limited his involvement over the first two days of the Lions match. However, young spinner Rehan Ahmed has been ruled out of the remainder of the Lions tour with a lower leg strain and will return to the UK to begin rehabilitation.
With contrasting injury fortunes for both sides, the build-up to the Ashes opener promises a tense and intriguing start to the series.
