IPL 2021: Josh Hazlewood to be available to play for CSK in the second leg

Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood is set to feature for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The remaining 31 matches of the tournament are set to be played from September 19 in the UAE after it was suspended midway earlier this year due to COVID cases inside the bubble. Hazlewood’s availability will delight the CSK as he is coming off decent tours of West Indies and Bangladesh.

He was part of Australia’s depleted T20 side that traveled to West Indies and then Bangladesh to play five T20Is each. Their IPL-bound players had pulled out of the tour citing bubble fatigue as the reason after returning from the IPL via Maldives due to strict rules in Australia.

The news of Hazlewood confirming his availability for the second leg was revealed by CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan while speaking to Cricbuzz. Josh Hazlewood had pulled out of the IPL 2021 earlier this year and CSK had signed the left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff as his replacement.

However, only a day after Behrendorff completed his quarantine period, the competition got suspended. Moreover, according to the rules, CSK will have to release him as Hazlewood is available for the rest of the matches.

Josh Hazlewood performed well in WI and BAN

Josh Hazlewood, meanwhile, bowled well on the last two tours for Australia. He took eight wickets against Bangladesh in four T20Is and accounted for four scalps in the Caribbean in as many matches. In Bangladesh, he was successful in varying his pace as well and never conceded more than 24 in his four-over spell.

Meanwhile, some of the CSK squad members including MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina have already reached Dubai a few days ago and also completed their quarantine it seems. Mumbai Indians is the other team to have reached Abu Dhabi for IPL while rest of the teams are yet to leave and are expected to reach UAE soon to feature in the tournament.