Former India coach Ravi Shastri has likened Josh Hazlewood to bowling great Glenn McGrath ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s. Shastri also stated that Hazlewood should be selected ahead of Scott Boland to complete Australia’s bowling attack alongside Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and spinner Nathan Lyon for the WTC final.
Hazlewood was forced to miss three of the five Tests in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy match against India, as well as Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka and the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 earlier this year, due to calf concerns.
However, the 34-year-old has returned to competitive cricket in the Indian Premier League and has looked in good form for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, taking 16 wickets in his first nine outings.
While Shastri has long admired Boland, the former India coach believes the conditions at Lord’s are better suited to Hazlewood’s line and length. “It will be a very tough choice, but if Hazelwood is fit, then he gets the nod ahead of Boland,” Shastri told The ICC Review.
“If Hazlewood is fit to do that, he will definitely get the nod for two reasons. One, the English conditions, two, Lord’s with the slope,” he said.
“And the reason I say Lord’s slope is Hazlewood is most likened to Glenn McGrath. And you’ve got to just check Glenn McGrath’s record at Lord’s, with the slope around and bowling from the Commentary Box end.
McGrath, one of the all-time greats, took 26 wickets in three Tests at Lord’s, including the best figures of 8/38 in the second Test of Australia’s 1997 tour of England and Scotland.
“He (McGrath) could be lethal with the ball either seaming back or going away and from either end, to be honest and I think Hazlewood can do something similar with his height,” Shastri said, when comparing Hazlewood to former Australia seamer McGrath.
“The pitches aren’t as quick as in Australia. So you need that extra bit of height and bounce, which he will get as opposed to Scott Boland, though I’m a big fan of Scott Boland.”
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