Josh Hazlewood opens up on 'unusual' injury that cut short Ashes campaign

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has opened up on an "unusual" injury that cut short his Ashes campaign.

Hazlewood, who played only the opening Test of the 2021-22 Ashes in Brisbane, missed the remaining games due to a side strain that he had suffered during the first Test at Gabba.

After being on the sidelines for almost two months, the 31-year-old pacer is set to return to action next week for Australia's home series against Sri Lanka. The two sides are going to lock horns in a five-match Twenty20 International (T20Is), starting on Feb. 11. The matches are scheduled to be played across three venues: Sydney Cricket Ground, Manuka Oval, Canberra and Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"That carrot was dangling there throughout the whole summer. If I'd had a normal (side strain), a big injury and you know you're going to be out, then you can deal with it all at once. But it just kept teasing, kept teasing, I might be able to play this one, I might be able to play that one," Hazlewood told cricket.com.au.

"I've certainly had a typical side strain, where you tear your oblique (muscle), you can't bowl another ball and are out for at least six or seven weeks. This one was different … the strength came back really quickly, and I could do a lot of things in the gym. It was just bowling, that dynamic movement, that caused a bit of grief. It was an unusual one," the right-arm pacer further added.

Hazlewood played a significant role in Australia's triumph in their maiden T20 World Cup last year. He picked up 11 wickets in seven matches and was just behind Adam Zampa (16 wickets) in the list of most wickets for the Aussies in the tournament, which took place in the UAE.

The fast bowler has said the injury could have begun to develop after he returned to Australia.

"I'd go back to even halfway through quarantine when I was bowling at training. We thought it was a bit of just rib impingement because when you tear a muscle, it just goes in one ball. We thought it was something else … but it kept lingering around. I got through quite a lot of work in that period and leading into the game (at the Gabba) it was still there a little bit, but I thought I was managing it.

"You try and put your finger on something when you do an injury, whether it's taking shortcuts here or there or an increased workload or you missed your mark at training. But I'm not sure with this one, to be honest. There's obviously an increased workload, but apart from that, it was just an unlucky one, I think," added Hazlewood.

Hazlewood has said that it was "frustrating" to miss being a part of Australia's 4-0 win over England in the recently-concluded Ashes.

"It was very frustrating. You probably don't realise it as much now, but when you look back in 10 years … people will talk about the Ashes when they won 4-0 in 2021 … and it'd hit you again. It was frustrating watching and obviously as time goes on, you'd be reminded of it more often than not. But that's part of fast bowling, I guess," said Hazlewood.