Josh Hazlewood has gone back to bowling hard lengths at the top of the off stump in all formats of the game.
Winning it for CSK and Australia
Josh Hazlewood has been on a roll of late. He was first part of the Chennai Super Kings franchise and helped them win the IPL 2021 Trophy.
Hazlewood also ended up as the player of the match in the final and played a major role throughout the season in the Chennai Super Kings campaign.
He then continued the same form for Australia in the 2021 T20 World Cup, which followed shortly after the domestic tournament and once again played a big part in Australia's victory in the T20 world cup final.
If that was not enough, Hazelwood was back to his absolute best with the red ball as well and created ripples in the first Ashes Test match of 2021-2022.
Clear game plan
Hazlewood says that he has decided to not change his game a lot and stick to the top of the stumps at hard lengths and that has been working for him.
"I've probably gone the opposite way now. Chatting about how batters are probably expecting that you to change if you are hit for four or six. Think the wickets are a little different here as well, but it's about keep doing the same thing and make them hit fours and sixes off your good deliveries - just above the stumps, a hard length. That seemed to work in the IPL and again against South Africa. You have to weigh it up and move forward with what works best."
"Every game is different and that's what I've learned over the last few weeks. It's about getting everything in order at training and preparing yourself for anything, then summing it up as a bowling group once you are out there. You have to weigh up where the boundaries are bigger, who you are bowling at, so it's about thinking on your feet and preparing for every situation. There's certainly a place for line and length then there's times where it doesn't work."
Tough to get away
Hazlewood's consistency is second to none currently in world cricket. He idolises former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath and possibly is the only bowler who comes close to his accuracy.
Like McGrath, Hazlewoodhas the ability to get the ball in and take it away from the same spot which keeps batters honest at all times.
