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Josh Hazlewood sidelined: Analysing who Australia should pick for Ashes opener in Perth

Jatin

Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of Perth Test [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of Perth Test [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]

With the Ashes 2025 opener in Perth just days away, Australia have suffered a massive blow. Josh Hazlewood, the ever-reliable metronome of the Aussie pace attack, has been ruled out of the first Test with a hamstring strain.

What was initially brushed off as precautionary has now turned into a real concern with repeat scans confirming the damage. And just like that, Australia's pace puzzle has turned into a full-blown selection headache.

Aussie fast bowling crisis deepens

Pat Cummins is already out with a lower back issue. Sean Abbott's nursing a hamstring tweak. Now Hazlewood joins the list. Suddenly, Mitchell Starc is the last man standing from Australia's first-choice pace trio.

Behind him, Scott Boland looks set to shoulder extra load, and selectors are scrambling to fill the third seamer's slot before the toss at Perth Stadium.

Michael Neser has been drafted in as cover, a handy inclusion considering his experience, control and ability to chip in with the bat. But the real question now is: who partners Starc and Boland in Australia's playing 11 for 1st Ashes Test?

Michael Neser: The safe and seasoned option

If stability had a face in domestic cricket, it would look a lot like Michael Neser. The Queensland seamer has been doing the hard yards for years, quietly stacking up numbers in the Sheffield Shield. 

This season alone, he has taken 14 wickets in 3 matches at an average of 24.28 with two four-wicket hauls.

Add to that his overall 413 first-class wickets at 23.73, and you know he is the kind of bowler who lands it on a dime, over after over. His short Test career with seven wickets in 2 matches at a miserly 16.71 suggests he is more than ready to step up again.

But it's not just the ball. Neser's got runs under his belt too: nearly 4,000 first-class runs, including 5 centuries. With Cummins out, that lower-order batting cushion suddenly looks valuable. He is not flashy, but he is effective, and right now, that is exactly what Australia needs.

Brendan Doggett: The wildcard option

Then there is Brendan Doggett, the dark horse no one saw galloping this close to a Test debut. He has had a stellar domestic run since returning from his own hamstring injury, taking 13 wickets in just 2 matches for South Australia this season, including a sizzling 6/48 against Western Australia.

His first-class record isn't shabby either: 190 wickets in 50 matches at 26.46 with nine five-fers and a strike rate under 50.

Doggett's not as metronomic as Neser, but he is sharper through the air, capable of jagging the ball both ways and surprising batters with his skiddy bounce. In Perth's pace-friendly conditions, that extra zip could be gold dust.

Who should Australia back?

If this were a Boxing Day Test, Neser would walk straight in as his control, batting depth, and experience make him the natural pick. But Perth isn't just another venue. It is quick, bouncy and rewards aggression.

That is why Doggett can't be counted out. His form, strike rate and natural length make him a tempting gamble, especially with Starc handling the heavy lifting and Boland providing control.

Australia might even consider going bold by slotting both Neser and Green/Webster to deepen both bowling and batting resources.

Conclusion

Hazlewood’s injury couldn't have come at a worse time. Losing Cummins and Hazlewood together before an Ashes opener is like dropping your queen and rook before move ten, as it leaves you scrambling for strategy.

Still, Australia's bench strength has a way of throwing up heroes when you least expect it. Whether it is Neser's steady hand or Doggett's fearless stride, someone will have to rise to the occasion at Perth.

Because come Ashes time, there are no warm-ups, no excuses, just five days of pure intent under the blazing Western Australian sun.