Ashes 2023: Josh Hazlewood lauds Todd Murphy forward of Manchester Test match

By India Today Sports Desk: Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood has lauded spinner Todd Murphy for an amazing begin to his profession. Murphy debuted towards India within the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 and picked 7 wickets on his debut. The spinner appeared in his first Ashes Test match at Headingley after the harm to Nathan Lyon. Lyon injured his calf whereas fielding at Lord’s and has doubtless performed his final Ashes 2023 Test.

Hazlewood lauded the participant and mentioned that Murphy has been an excellent understudy to Lyon, one in every of Australia’s greatest-ever spinners.

“Todd’s had a great start to his career particularly in the subcontinent against the best players of spin the world, India,” he mentioned. “I know we are going to miss Gazza [Lyon] from time to time when we are in the field but think Todd as his understudy has done a great job so far and expect the same again,” Hazlewood mentioned forward of the Manchester Test match.

The matches within the Ashes 2023 have been fast-paced and have given out three outcomes out of three matches. Hazlewood mentioned that Australia haven’t bowled quite a lot of overs that they’re used to in a traditional 5-day sport. Hazlewood, nonetheless, didn’t play within the third Test match, as a result of harm issues after bowling a bouncer barrage at Lord’s.

“We haven’t bowled a lot of overs in terms of what Test matches usually look like for us,” he mentioned. “The way England play, it gets us in the field for a little less in terms of workload. I felt pretty good going into [Headingley]. It was probably the right call now I can sit back and look at the big picture. I was desperate to play, which is obvious. But now it makes sense,” the pacer mentioned.

The pacer has battled harm since earlier than the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023. Hazlewood was not in a position to play within the World Test Championship Final 2023 as properly. The pacer mentioned that he was slightly too desperate to play within the summit conflict however in hindsight, it was most likely the best determination.

“I was probably a little bit underdone for that World Test Championship [final] and then got ready for the first game. I didn’t seem too rusty when I was out there in the middle. Once you get that big day of workload underneath you, you feel a lot better for the run,” Hazlewood concluded.