“We have decided to give him a week to freshen up”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Australia pace bowler Josh Hazlewood will not feature in the first ODI against Pakistan in Brisbane on January 13 as Cricket Australia have decided to rest him.

Hazlewood has had a busy summer thus far as he has featured in a three-Test series against South Africa, a three-match ODI series against New Zealand and most recently, a three-Test series against Pakistan.

Australia head coach Darren Lehmann confirmed that the 25-year-old is not injured, but added that the decision to rest him was based on the fact that he has bowled 300.1 overs in the aforementioned period.

Hazlewood will instead be given a little time off before he re-joins the national team for the second ODI in Melbourne on January 15.

“Josh has got through a heavy workload during the home summer so far and in the past two months he has sent down almost 300 overs across two Test series against South Africa and Pakistan, as well as three ODIs against New Zealand,” Lehmann said. “He’s not injured but we have decided to give him a week to freshen up at home and he will link up with the ODI squad in Melbourne ahead of the second match of the series, although if one of our other fast bowlers picks up an injury in the run-up to Friday’s first game at The Gabba then he could be called up to slot in.”

With Hazlewood out of the first ODI, it is likely that uncapped seamer Billy Stanlake will make his international debut.

Stanlake, who plays for the Adelaide Strikers in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL), was called up to the ODI squad along with batsman Chris Lynn.