The Australian cricket team is panicking over the reports that Josh Hazlewood may be out for the whole Ashes series. The right-arm pacer was already absent in the first test in Perth where he suffered a hamstring injury a few weeks before during a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria.
Hazlewood is a cricketer who often gets injured and he has a long history of not playing due to his battles with injury. This recent injury of his not only has Cricket Australia in a state of panic, but it has also made RCB tense, as Hazlewood was a key player of the Rajat Patidar-led team in the 2025 title winning season.
Hazlewood was the leading bowler for the Challengers, taking 22 wickets in 12 innings, and was nicknamed ‘HazleGod’ for his bowling performances. But, fans are becoming concerned since RCB’s bowling department appears to be dull and feeble in the absence of Hazlewood.
Therefore, the Challengers should not take things lightly and act fast by acquiring important backups who can assist them in case the Australian fast bowler experiences an injury problem in the coming season.
The possible substitutes for Josh Hazlewood
It is a fact that RCB has 16.4 crores remaining in their auction purse, implying that they cannot go for extravagant bowlers in the auction.
- Jacob Duffy
One of the main contenders to take Josh Hazlewood’s place is Jacob Duffy, the fast bowler from New Zealand. The 31-year-old has not been a part of the money-rich league but is excelling in the shortest format of the game.
Duffy is the highest wicket-taker in 2025 with 35 wickets in 20 innings which is top among the full-member nations. So, franchises will be eager to sign Duffy and RCB too should look at the Kiwi as he can be a low-cost buy and will not even affect RCB’s remaining budget.
2.Gerald Coetzee
Gerald Coetzee’s brilliance shone through the 2023 ODI World Cup. Nevertheless, his road to stardom has been hampered by a series of injuries and, consequently, he has been out of the picture for a while. But the SA pacer still has a lot to offer, and he can be a great investment for Bengaluru.
Of course, he has taken heart from his performances in India, and since he has the knack of taking wickets in the sub-continent, the teams might be interested in him.
3.Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson is also in the same boat when it comes to injuries but the left-arm pacer is very certain that he will be back in great shape by December and has three months to showcase his talent and thereby convince the franchises to invest in him for the next season.
He won’t be playing for KKR anymore, as they decided to release him after the injury and lack of opportunities shortened his stay with the three-time champions.
Interestingly, Spencer has not yet made it to the T20I squad for this year; however, he can still be a great bargain buy for the upcoming season and turn out to be a very useful asset for the squad.
