The last time Australia were in India, they were blanked 4-0 by the hosts. The Aussies have traditionally struggled in the subcontinent and their conditions have only deteriorated in the last decade. Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was not a part of the Australian squad for the India tour but he played in this year’s Sri Lanka tour where the Kangaroos were brutally thrashed 3-0 by an inexperienced Sri Lankan team. The bowler struggled throughout the series and took only seven wickets in three Tests. The 25-year old has definitely got a taste of what it is like to bowl on subcontinental pitches and talking to cricket.com.au, he admitted that bowling on those conditions have been the “hardest thing” in his career so far.
“Playing Test cricket in the subcontinent is the hardest thing I’ve done so far in my career and to win over there… well I haven’t experienced that yet,” Hazlewood said.
The Australian team have a very tough task at their hand as they are scheduled to tour India early next year, and the fast bowler admitted that his team had been thinking about the upcoming tour of India.
“It’s always in the back of your mind (the India Test tour next year), especially after just coming back from Sri Lanka,” he said. “It’s very tough cricket over there and they (India) have another series over there before us against England. It’s going to be some tough cricket and you always look forward to it in the back of your mind, that competition in India,” Hazlewood said.
The team from down under is going through a tough phase right now. After being blanked by Sri Lanka in the Test series, they have lost the ongoing five-match series against South Africa after losing the third ODI in a row and are in danger of getting whitewashed. With tough series awaiting in the summer, Hazlewood and his new-ball partner Mitchell Starc were left out of the South Africa tour. Their absence gave a golden opportunity to newcomers Joe Mennie, Daniel Worrall and Chris Tremain to make an impression but so far they have struggled to get going.
Talking about the bowler’s struggle, Hazlewood said:“It’s a very nerve-wracking time (making your debut). It’s a very big step up from domestic cricket or Australia A cricket to the international level. I’ve watched a little bit of the cricket over there. Obviously, I’m missing that tour and really miss being part of the team and being on that tour.
“South Africa can be a tough time to bowl on those smallish fields and wickets tend to be pretty flat,” he added. “I think they’ve done a pretty good job. It’s always nerve-wracking but they’ll be better for the experience.”