Australia's Ashes Hopes Rise as Hazlewood and Cummins Make Progress

As Australia gears up for the Ashes series, key players Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are making significant strides in their recovery from injuries. Hazlewood has returned to the nets, focusing on red-ball bowling, while Cummins is ramping up his intensity with the pink ball. With the first three Tests well spaced, the team is optimistic about their participation later in the series. This article delves into their progress, the challenges ahead, and the potential impact on Australia's Ashes campaign.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 25, 2025, 13:53 IST

Injury Updates for Australia's Ashes Squad

Sydney: Australia received a significant boost on Tuesday as Josh Hazlewood returned to the nets, working diligently to recover from a hamstring injury that sidelined him from the first Ashes Test in Perth. Meanwhile, Pat Cummins was spotted practicing with a pink ball, making steady progress in his recovery from a back injury, aiming to participate in the upcoming day-night Test at the Gabba.

The two players utilized the Cricket Central facilities in Sydney while New South Wales faced Tasmania in their ongoing Sheffield Shield match.

Hazlewood's training session concentrated on red-ball bowling, indicating the team's strategic direction. Although he is not expected to play at the Gabba, he is targeting a return for the Adelaide Test, which will feature a traditional day match this year.

Australia's head coach, Andrew McDonald, expressed optimism on Monday regarding Hazlewood's involvement later in the Ashes series, stating, "I know that he’ll be available at some point during the series. We’ve got a little bit of that early rehab to go through to formulate where he may plug into the series, but we expect him to take some part in the series."

Cummins has been impressively ramping up his bowling intensity, particularly in the lead-up to the Perth Test. The selectors remain cautious, requiring full assurance that he can handle the demands of a five-day match, especially since earlier matches in the series could conclude quickly.

McDonald commented on Cummins' progress, saying, "It looked like a player who was nearing the completion of his rehabilitation. The intensity was there, the ball speed was there. There’s a lot of positives, but now it’s just really building that resilience within the soft tissue and making sure that we’re not putting him in harm’s way in terms of accelerating it too much."

The first three Tests are well spaced, with an 11-day gap between the opener and the second match following a quick finish in Perth. However, after Adelaide, the schedule tightens with only a four-day break before the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and another four days until Sydney, assuming those matches last the full duration.

With the pink-ball contest approaching in Brisbane, the potential for another thrilling, fast-paced Test is high. Recent Sheffield Shield matches support this, as ten wickets fell during the night session of day three in the Queensland-Victoria match, although wickets were harder to come by earlier.

In that Shield match, Xavier Bartlett excelled with figures of 4 for 35 in Victoria’s second innings, complementing his performance with a career-best 72 runs. Bartlett, who has already shown promise in white-ball cricket, could be edging closer to an Ashes opportunity, especially if Australia needs additional pace options. However, the anticipated return of Cummins and Hazlewood might keep that door closed for now.

Michael Neser, who served as the reserve quick in Perth, could be in contention for Brisbane, his home ground. Both of his previous Tests have come with the pink ball in Adelaide during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

Selectors are also hopeful for Jhye Richardson’s availability later in the series as he recovers from recent shoulder surgery. Richardson has already trained with the Test squad in Perth and bowled 20 overs for the CA XI against the England Lions, albeit without taking a wicket. He is likely to play for Australia A in Brisbane soon.

After his recent outing, Richardson provided a positive update, saying, "This game was a lot about physical preparation for me and making sure that we can get through. I’m sure there would have been a few people seeing a bit of ice on it after the bowling but that’s basically just maintenance. The shoulder’s feeling really good and it’s feeling better and better each bowl. It’s a decent hit out, the most overs I’ve bowled in a while and it’s all part of the process to building up to be ready for four and five-day cricket."