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Rift in Australian team? Adam Gilchrist highlights Josh Hazlewood’s Perth Test comments

Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has raised concerns about a potential divide in the Australian cricket team following comments by fast bowler Josh Hazlewood after a challenging third day in the Perth Test. Hazlewood, who returned figures of 28 for 1 from 21 overs as India declared their second innings at 487 for 6, appeared …

Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has raised concerns about a potential divide in the Australian cricket team following comments by fast bowler Josh Hazlewood after a challenging third day in the Perth Test. Hazlewood, who returned figures of 28 for 1 from 21 overs as India declared their second innings at 487 for 6, appeared visibly frustrated during a press conference. His remarks came shortly after the dismissals of Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne late in the day, which left Australia’s chances of victory all but extinguished.

When asked about the team’s approach to turning the game around, Hazlewood shifted focus to the batting unit, saying, “You probably have to ask one of the batters that question… I’m probably looking mostly towards the next Test.” The seamer’s comments sparked debate amongst cricketing pundits, with Gilchrist leading the discussion on Fox Sports. “I wonder if there’s a divide in Andrew McDonald’s team between the batters and bowlers,” Gilchrist remarked, noting the unusual tone of Hazlewood’s remarks.

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Fellow panellist and Australian opener David Warner suggested the comments were ill-timed but dismissed claims of significant tension. “As a senior player, you’ve got a duty of care to support your teammates, especially in tough times. Those comments probably weren’t warranted, but I don’t think there’s a divide.”

However, former England captain Michael Vaughan saw it differently, interpreting Hazlewood’s words as indicative of internal strain. “Publicly, I’ve never heard an Australian divide the camp into batters and bowlers like that,” Vaughan said. “It’s unusual to hear an Australian cricketer publicly shift focus to the next game before this one is finished.”

Mohammed Siraj delivered two sharp morning spells, dismissing Usman Khawaja and an out-of-form Steven Smith, as Australia struggled to 104/5 by lunch on day four of the first Test against India. Chasing a daunting target of 534, Australia, starting at 12/3, slumped further to 17/4 when Khawaja’s mistimed pull off Siraj (3/34 in 10 overs) was brilliantly caught by Rishabh Pant, running backward. Travis Head (63* off 72) launched a spirited counter-attack alongside Smith (17), who battled hard to break out of his slump.

Questions now loom over the state of the Australian dressing room. While some commentators like Ravi Shastri and Warner downplayed the idea of significant discord, others believe Hazlewood’s comments reflect a deeper issue. As Australia prepares for the fourth day of a seemingly insurmountable Test, attention will be split between their on-field performance and the dynamics within the team.

Published By:

Saurabh Kumar

Published On:

Nov 25, 2024

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