The impeccable transformation of Josh Hazlewood to evolve as Australia’s unicorn across formats

Josh Hazlewood, a master at milking good form, demonstrated his prowess to the Sri Lankan spectators in the recently-concluded T20I series. The talismanic fast bowler was adjudged Player of the Match in the first match for his excellent figures of 4-0-16-4 and followed it with 4-0-16-0 in the second. At one point in the third and final game at Pallekele, his bowling figures read 3-1-3-2 until Dasun Shanaka came in and pulled off a heist for Sri Lanka by plundering a record 59 runs off the last three overs.

Without a doubt, RCB’s every penny of INR 7.75 crore, which they splurged on Hazlewood at the mega auction, yielded rich dividends. But Hazlewood’s IPL contract at CSK came largely due to his impressive stint with Sydney Sixers in BBL 2019-20, where he helped them to win the title. “I could see a couple of World Cups coming up in T20 cricket and wanted to poke my nose back in at the IPL, so I jumped in for the Sixers,” Hazlewood explained, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

“It's a strange one, I guess. I've obviously missed a fair bit of red-ball cricket through injury and selection so, a little bit disappointing in that regard. Then the white-ball, T20 in particular, has gone strength to strength. That's the benefit of having three formats in this sport. If you are struggling in one, or not going particularly well, then you can rely on another one to come through.”

Josh Hazlewood’s bowling records across formats:

ODIs | 55 Innings | 93 Wickets | 25.08 Average | 4.71 Economy Rate

T20Is | 30 Innings | 46 Wickets | 18.02 Average | 7.22 Economy Rate

Hazlewood is 196 cm tall, and he has been getting the benefits for his height whenever he tries to extract steep bounce. He had got impeccable control and movement before, and now, he has been doing the same in ODIs and T20Is as well. The ability of bowling at consistent line and length is easily his biggest weapon.

I always thought he was just a Test and one-day bowler because he didn't have that many defensive options in T20 cricket, but he has developed tremendously over the past couple of years. It was a huge opportunity for him to play for CSK (Chennai Super Kings) and they gave him a really good run and let him find his feet in that previous IPL heading into the T20 World Cup. And right now he is Australia's best T20 fast bowler, there is no question."

Shane Watson on Josh Hazlewood at The ICC Review.

Hazlewood has been a key factor in Australia’s recent success (currently No. 1) in Test cricket. He was the second-best bowler in Tests once and is now placed at the tenth, with 752 ratings. But his determination to transform himself into a T20 specialist was always been there. Look at him now. He is more of a T20I bowler than a Test spearhead.

Riding on his stupendous form in the shortest format of the game, Hazlewood recently jumped to second place in the ICC T20I bowlers’ rankings, only behind Tabraiz Shamsi. Since January 2021, he has become a regular member of Australia’s T20I setup. During this period, he has claimed 37 wickets in 21 matches, conceding just 6.33 runs an over. Of them, 11 wickets came in the last T20 World Cup, where Australia emerged as the world champions for the first time.

Not to forget, Hazlewood ranks third in ICC ODI bowlers’ rankings, behind Trent Boult and Chris Woakes. It is a rare feat for any bowler to find a place among the top ten across all three formats, and the talismanic Australian is the one who has done that. He is only getting better and better with time and will be keen to keep up the good work going in the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting from June 14, and then in the two-match Test series.