Josh Hazlewood news rocks Aussies before World Test Championship final

Australia's preparations for this week's World Test Championship (WTC) final against India have suffered a major blow, with fast bowler Josh Hazlewood ruled out due to an ongoing side complaint. Hazlewood has been training well with the Aussie Test cricket squad in London and just last week declared himself "really close" to being back to full speed.

However, the towering quick has been ruled out of the final against India that gets underway at The Oval on Wednesday after pulling up sore, with the Aussie camp deciding to put him on ice for the Ashes series. Michael Neser will join the 15-man squad in his place, acting as the fourth pace option behind front-liners Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.

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Hazlewood had hoped to play his first match for Australia since early January and only his fifth in two years against India, after a run of side issues and an achilles problem. The seamer's workload has steadily increased over the last fortnight and he completed three separate spells in a centre-wicket session on Saturday, only to succumb to soreness once again.

Chief selector George Bailey said the decision to leave Hazlewood out comes with one eye on the Ashes opener at Edgbaston on June 16. Neser comes into the squad after some impressive form in county cricket for Glamorgan.

"Josh was very, very close to being given the green light but we are cognisant that our upcoming schedule means this is not a one-off Test match for us," Bailey said. "Michael's county form has been strong and knowing that he was going to be close by allowed for him to keep playing and for us to be able to call on him.

"He is a great strength to have as part of the fast bowling group. This will give Josh an ideal preparation leading into Edgbaston. With six Test matches in a little over seven weeks we will need all of our fast bowling assets."

Australia coach Andrew McDonald has indicated a number of short turnarounds will play on Australia's mind throughout the tour. Australia have three sets of back-to-back Tests, separated by the week-long gaps between the first Test at Edgbaston and the second at Lord's, and between the third and fourth matches at Headingley and Old Trafford. It means rotation will almost certainly come into play for the pace bowling contingent.

"There'll be some plans sitting in the background, but like any Test match, you don't know what's going to happen within that Test match," McDonald said. "Then you make decisions from that ... I'd say there would be some moving parts in amongst the quicks."

Australia have never played India in a Test on neutral soil before, but insist they are not walking into the unknown. "If you look at a form reference for the way India play in England is probably when they play against England," McDonald said.

"So there won't be too many things that are unknown. We've tracked back through that, looked how India played against England here. What their bowlers did and how they use their bowlers."

Jack Leach ruled out of Ashes series for England

England have suffered a bigger blow before the Ashes, with key spinner Jack Leach ruled out for the entire series with a stress fracture in his back. The loss of the 31-year-old will force captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum to have to seriously rethink the approach to their bowling line-up.

Leach looked solid last week after taking four wickets in England's 10-wicket victory over Ireland at Lord's. However, he developed problems in the lower back during the warm-up match, with scans showing a stress fracture in the lumbar region of the spine, which will rule him out of all five Ashes Tests.

"England will announce a replacement for the Ashes series in due course," an England statement said on Sunday. England could risk the exciting leg spin and batting of 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed, the youngest man ever to play a Test for them in Pakistan when he teamed up with Leach, while off-spinner Will Jacks also impressed during two Tests in that series.

with agencies

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