With Australia ready to defend their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title at Lord’s next month, the attention is not merely on their vaunted pace attack, but also on the path followed by each one of them in getting match-fit. While Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were busy in the IPL 2025, pacer Scott Boland is pinning hopes on a different form of preparation in a bid to find a place in a settled XI.
IPL workload assisted Australian pacer to be match fit
Despite the IPL being a high-octane T20 league with shorter bowling spells, Boland believes the high-pressure environment and intensity of the tournament have their own advantages.
“For me personally, I like that the best. You can just get what you need to get done. And then all the other guys have been playing IPL, the other three bowlers, so they’re ready to go. They’re match-hardened. And I think the intensity of the IPL helps when you go from format to format. They’ve already been at 100%. The only step up for them is just bowling a few more overs which they’re definitely used to,” Boland said as per ESPNCricinfo.
Josh Hazlewood to keep Boland out of Playing XI?
Josh Hazlewood’s case is especially strong. Having spent the previous year battling injury, the right-armer found his rhythm again in a sensational IPL run, in which he spearheaded Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their first-ever title. He was largely unplayable throughout the season, and RCB got a huge boost when he returned from an injury ahead of the playoffs. Barring in his last over against Shashank Singh, Hazlewood averaged around 15.
His form, fitness, and experience at Lord’s, taking five vital wickets in a triumph over England in the 2023 Ashes, left him well placed to join Cummins and Starc in the final.
Hazlewood, Cummins & Starc at IPL 2025
| Player | Innings | Wickets | Overs | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Hazlewood | 12 | 22 | 44.0 | 8.77 |
| Pat Cummins | 14 | 16 | 49.4 | 9.06 |
| Mitchell Starc | 10 | 14 | 36.0 | 10.16 |
For Boland, who has not played since March owing to knee soreness, the shortage of game time is worrisome—but not discouraging. A 36-year-old pacer, he was player of the match in his previous test against India in January and also the best bowler in the 2023 WTC final. Nevertheless, he is pragmatic about the task of ousting Hazlewood in particular.
“I’m not sure we’ve had a practice game since I’ve been in the squad,” Boland said of Australia’s preparation. “The facility we’ve got at Beckenham is ideal… it’s as near a game situation as you can possibly get without actually playing a game.”
Another drawback in the case of Boland is the venue. He hasn’t played a Test at Lord’s before. On the contrary, Hazlewood is well-equipped with an impressive return at the historic venue, having taken 13 wickets at 26.15, and helped Australia win the Ashes at the venue last year.
