Australia has suffered a setback ahead of the second Ashes 2021-22 Test in Adelaide, as Josh Hazlewood misses a side strain. Meanwhile, England's Stuart Broad and James Anderson are raring to go.
There is bad news and good news for the upcoming day-night Test (day-night) at the Adelaide Oval between Australia and England during the 2021-22 Ashes. The bad news happens to be for Australia, as it would be missing out on the services of impactful pacer Josh Hazlewood. He has suffered a side strain.
Hazlewood suffered the injury during the fourth day of the opening Test at the Gabba Brisbane. Although scans have revealed that the scan is minor, the Australian management is not keen on risking him in Adelaide. He has travelled back to his home in Sydney, focusing on the subsequent Test in Melbourne.
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Meanwhile, pacer Jhye Richardson is likely to be his replacement in Adelaide. He has enjoyed a great season in the Sheffield Shield, claiming 23 wickets at an average of 13.43. However, uncapped pacer Michael Neser is also on the cards, having claimed 5/29 in the first innings of the warm-up game against the England Lions.
On the other hand, English pacers Stuart Broad and James Anderson are looking to start in Adelaide. The duo missed out on the opening Test. While Broad's omission was tactical, Anderson chose to sit out to be fit for Adelaide. Although their participation is yet to be confirmed, England head coach Chris Silverwood declared that they were "fit and ready to go".
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"Jimmy will be fit and ready to go for the second Test, as will Stuart. Stuart has been great, to be honest. Obviously, he was disappointed not to be playing, but he understood that this is a long series. We had good conversations with Stuart before any decisions were made, and he was 100 per cent on board.," Silverwood told reporters ahead of the Adelaide Test.