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Amidst Cummins-Hazlewood injury woes, Liam Hatcher evolves as Australia's future Test prospect

Umesh Sharma

New South Wales Pacer Liam Hatcher (Source: CricketNSW/X)New South Wales Pacer Liam Hatcher (Source: CricketNSW/X)

The Australia have one-sidedly dominated England in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26. The hosts have already taken an unassailable lead of 3-0 with three successive wins in the first three Tests of the five-match series. 

Meanwhile, Australia have also been struggling with a few concerns despite a smooth run in the home Ashes so far. 

One of the primary issues the Aussies need to address at the earliest is the their injured pacers. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, two out of the Australia’s established pace bowling trio, have been struggling with the injuries since the start of the Ashes. Hazlewood has been ruled out of the entire series, with Cummins to miss the remaining two Tests after only appearing in the series during the third Test in Adelaide. 

Amidst all this, Australia could heave a sigh of relief during their struggle to manage the injuries of the senior pacers. It might be possible for the Aussies with the evolution of NSW pacer Liam Hatcher as one of the shining pace-bowling prospects, especially in the red-ball cricket. 

Hence, here’s a look at how Liam Hatcher could be one of the stable options for Australia to plan their pace attack after the current trio hangs up the boots. 

The injury concerns in the Ashes force Australia to think

Before the start of the Ashes, the injury-induced absence of Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins left Australia in an unavoidable pace-bowling void. However, the veteran pacer Mitchell Starc led the attack from the front with his exemplary match-winning performances. But the standstill pace-bowling concerns are something that can’t be cushioned under Starc’s individual heroics. 

In the Ashes opener in Perth, the Australia tried to fill in Cummins-Hazlewood by giving a debut cap to Brendan Doggett. The debutant accompanied Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc, alongside all-rounder Cameron Green, fitting in as the fourth pacer. Furthermore, in the second Test, they dropped Nathan Lyon to bring in Michael Neser as the fourth pacer, alongside the existing trio of Starc, Boland, and Doggett. 

Captain Cummins returned to the XI in the third Test after his pace-bowling partner Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the entire series. Just a few days after Adelaide won, a news hit the Aussie camp again, and it was about Cummins getting ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes 2025-26. 

So, the ongoing struggles and injury concerns have pushed the Aussie think tank to the position where they should think about the future of their pace bowling. 

Liam Hatcher’s rise on the occasion could be Australia’s relief

The New South Wales pacer Liam Hatcher has impressed everyone with his bowling performances in the ongoing Sheffield Shield 2025-26. Besides the current season heroics, Hatcher has also been a productive pacer throughout his First-Class career so far. 

Liam Hatcher in Sheffield Shield 2025-26 

Criterion
Data
Matches
5
Innings8
Wickets22
Economy Rate
3.84
Strike Rate30.27
BBI5/88
4w/5w
1/1

In the current Sheffield Shield edition, he has scalped 22 wickets in just eight innings, with an economy of only 3.84, including a four-wicket haul and a five-wicket haul. He is currently the second leading wicket-taker in the tournament so far, following Cameron Gannon. Besides that, he is also the leading wicket-taker for New South Wales in the current edition. 

Liam Hatcher in his First-Class career

Criterion
Data
Matches
24
Innings40
Wickets 80
Economy Rate3.90
Strike Rate45.2
BBI5/88
BBM8/117
4w/5w7/1

In his First-Class career, Hatcher has claimed 80 wickets in only 40 innings, with an economy rate of 3.90 including seven four-wicket hauls and a five-wicket haul. His progress in the red-ball cricket at the domestic level is something that needs Aussie management's attention.  

Being the right-arm pacer with a height of 6’1”, he could be one of the perfect replacements for the injured and ageing Josh Hazlewood. His CV as a pacer in the domestic First-Class cricket seems to fit him as the one of the key elements in Australia’s future pace-bowling trio. 

Conclusion: Time to resolve pace-bowling concerns 

With two senior pacers already struggling with the injury issues and avoiding the major assignments, Australia are left with an urgent need to resolve their pace-bowling issues. Brendan Doggett’s recent Test debut has left two spots to be filled by Aussie management. 

One of these two spots can be filled by the 29-year-old Liam Hatcher, who has the potential to serve Australia for the next five to six years. For the second spot, Aussie camp needs to scout another pacer below 30 years of age who could accompany Doggett and Hatcher in future.