Former Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor says helium hopes Josh Hazlewood is rested for the Boxing Day Test, with the paceman battling a broadside strain injury.
Hazlewood suffered the wounded during the archetypal Test astatine The Gabba, successful which the 30-year-old was constricted to bowling conscionable 14 of the 103 overs successful England's 2nd innings.
After helium was ruled retired for the Adelaide Test, helium was replaced with Jhye Richardson.
READ MORE: Two years Ashes mentation wasted, says Atherton
READ MORE: Massive stroke for Nadal's Australian Open hopes
THE MOLE: Storm winger adjacent to securing caller nine successful Sydney
With Australia present connected the verge of Ashes glory starring the bid against England 2-0, Taylor said helium would beryllium shocked to spot Hazlewood brought backmost into the broadside successful clip for Boxing Day.
"I volition beryllium precise amazed if Josh Hazlewood plays the Boxing Day Test," Taylor told Wide World of Sports.
"A broadside strain for a accelerated bowler, those sorts of things - I can't ideate that goes distant successful a week, possibly adjacent two.
"Now, peculiarly with Australia up 2-0, Pat Cummins volition travel backmost successful for sure.
"They've got Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson and Cameron Green to take from.
"I volition beryllium amazed if they don't archer Josh Hazlewood to enactment successful Sydney and proceed his rehab and get acceptable for the Sydney Test."
Meanwhile, Taylor said Richardson's show during the Adelaide Test has handed him the honours of becoming the adjacent antheral up for the Australian bowling unit.
In his archetypal Test lucifer since 2019, Richardson ripped done England's 2nd innings with figures of 5-42 arsenic Australia took a 2-0 pb successful the Ashes series.
The 25-year-old during that innings claimed England's openers - Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed.
He was brought into the Test broadside on with Michael Neser with skipper Pat Cummins besides ruled retired aft coming into interaction with a COVID-19 case.
"Richardson successful his archetypal crippled backmost aft a agelong layoff ... helium was the prime of the two, he's got that small spot much gait which was saw was an vantage yesterday erstwhile pitches flatten retired and there's not a batch of swing," Taylor added.
"He's got that other astir him. If determination was a bowler for the adjacent spot, oregon for 1 spot, helium surely won it yesterday.
"It's not taking thing distant from Neser who had a precise bully game. A precise dependable debut Test match.
"He (Neser) did everything that was required of him and took a mates of wickets.
"I don't deliberation it volition beryllium his past game."
For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!