WTC Final: Virat Kohli To Be First And Last To Go To Training, Says Australia Pacer Josh Hazlewood

London: Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has praised his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammates Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj ahead of the World Test Championship final against India starting on June 7 at The Oval. Six months, had to cut short his IPL stint with a side issue. However, he feels he is not completely off the hook as Australia gear up for the big final.

Talking about Kohli, Hazlewood said that the Indian superstar’s way of working is what makes him the player he is. “I think it’s probably how hard he works (that stands out). His fitness first – and then his skill work and especially batting and fielding. He’s always out (training) first and goes in last And the intensity with which he trains all the time is at such a high level that it takes everyone along for the ride. It can leak out to other players and make them improve as well,” Hazlewood said. Told the ICC.

All day every day 24×7. , pic.twitter.com/ob19As24hM

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 31, 2023

About RCB’s leading wicket-taker Siraj, who is expected to play a big role in the WTC final, Hazlewood said: “I was a little late in getting there (at RCB this year) but before that he was on fire. He was at the top of the wickets every time, and the economy rate was probably the thing that made it impossible to bowl at Chinnaswamy (RCB’s home ground) sometimes and he was going for six or six and a half overs. His control Was brilliant and he is bowling well.

Josh Hazlewood close to bowling at full speed

The Australian cricket team is training at Formby in England ahead of the WTC final. Hazlewood trained with the team on Monday and said he is feeling good for the big match. “My fitness is pretty good and it is basically a matter of ticking off every session from here till that date (June 7). We’ll probably have three to four more sessions – bat vs ball and then also a few days in the nets or center wicket down in London – so it’s just ticking those last few boxes and pulling off well every session, “They said.

“It was pretty close (to full speed today). I came down for a short bowl yesterday to rest up a bit and get a bit more out of today’s session, so it’s feeling good. Ways first It’s always good to get away and we’ll let off steam when we get to London.”

Hazlewood could only play in three matches in the IPL before aggravating his injury. “In T20 you are bowling a lot of different deliveries in every over. A wide yorker, a bouncer, a slower ball and it probably got a bit jammed and a bit of scar tissue flared up from previous injuries. It calmed down very quickly, I had a week off but I haven’t come back to play 100 per cent in the IPL. But the last few balls have been good and I am preparing well.

Hazlewood, who has played more than 15 Tests against India, is looking forward to the challenge of playing the Asian giants at a neutral venue. “It’s a weird situation to be in as I feel I’ve played a lot of cricket against them now. It will be interesting to play with them here in England. It will be interesting for both the teams how they go about it and whether they get beat in Australia or How different it is to play in India because normally you play them there only.”

“That’s the exciting thing about it and everyone is looking forward to next week,” he said.