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Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood registered the most economical five-wicket haul by an Australian in the last 73 years as India were decimated to their lowest-ever total – 36 for 9 – in Test history on Day 3 of the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday (December 19).
Josh Hazlewood scalped Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin off the fourth and fifth balls of the 19th over to become the 18th Australian to reach 200 wickets in Test cricket. He could have also completed his maiden hat-trick, but Umesh Yadav managed to get an inside edge onto his pads.
The 29-year-old expressed disappointment over not accomplishing the hat-trick, but he sounded joyous to have joined the prestigious club.
“It was, it was [a special moment]. I guess you never play cricket for self accolades, but to join the 200 club was pretty special,” Josh Hazlewood said on Sony Sports Network.
The New South Wales lad credited Pat Cummins for opening the floodgates early in the day. Cummins dismissed nightwatchman Jasprit Bumrah (2 off 17) and Cheteshwar Pujara (0 off 8) before Josh Hazlewood accounted for five of the next six wickets to fall.
“Everything went to plan. I think the way Pattie started was unbelievable, to knock over the two big wickets was sort of setting the tone, and one inspired two…Yeah, it is good fun.
“We are all really good mates obviously and we played a lot of cricket together now, and seeing other guys get the milestone as well…it is just awesome to come out and look to take 20 wickets every game. So it’s good fun,” Josh Hazlewood said.
Josh Hazlewood leaves Australia on the brink of 1-0 lead
Test cricket’s lowest total in the past 65 years means Australia will now have to chase down a meagre 90 runs to go 1-0 up in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Matthew Wade (14* off 17) and Joe Burns (0* off 13) helped the hosts reach 15 for 0 at the Dinner break.
While Virat Kohli will fly back to India after the opening Test to attend the birth of his first child, India might also be without Mohammad Shami in the Boxing Day Test. The India speedster retired hurt after being struck flush on the right arm by a Pat Cummins bouncer after the former failed to sway out of the way.
Published 19 Dec 2020, 12:16 IST
