[CRK]

Learning the Hard Way: Josh Hazlewood on Recovery

For any professional athlete, the sidelines are the loneliest place to be. For Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood, a five-month period away from the game served as a stark reminder that even the fittest bodies have limits. Hazlewood, now 35, admits that his prolonged absence from competitive cricket was largely self-inflicted, driven by an eagerness to return to the field too soon.

The sequence of setbacks began with a hamstring injury during a Sheffield Shield match in November. What followed was a frustrating cascade of complications—an Achilles tendon issue and a torn calf—which sidelined him for critical assignments including the Ashes and the T20 World Cup. Hazlewood now views these trials as a masterclass in patience, emphasizing that players on the ‘wrong side of their 30s’ must respect their bodies’ natural healing rhythms.

The Importance of Respecting the Return-to-Play Timeline

Hazlewood spoke candidly ahead of RCB’s home clash against the Delhi Capitals. ‘Any professional athlete who’s been injured knows what it takes to get back,’ he noted. ‘Some are harder than others. This time around, it was obviously quite a long time out of the game. Just a few things crept in, I think mostly through probably trying to rush back a little bit, trying to make it to the fourth or fifth Ashes Test or the World Cup.’ The veteran quick has now adopted a disciplined approach, ensuring he ‘ticked off everything’ in his preparation before returning to the IPL intensity.

Adapting to the High-Scoring IPL Landscape

The 2026 IPL season has been characterized by explosive batting, with scores consistently surpassing 200. With over 400 sixes hit in the opening weeks of the tournament, many would assume the bowlers are feeling the heat. However, Hazlewood offers a refreshing perspective. He believes the current landscape actually shifts the pressure onto the batters.

‘I think from a bowler’s point of view, it almost takes the pressure off a little bit because the batsmen are expected to get off to good starts,’ Hazlewood explained. ‘If you can get a batter two off six balls, the pressure that they’re under in that situation is huge. You can just see a player almost melt out there in the middle… I feel like there’s probably less pressure on the bowler these days with such big scores.’

Tactics: The Art of the ‘Cat and Mouse’ Game

Unlike many modern T20 specialists who rely heavily on a vast array of slower balls and knuckleballs, Hazlewood remains a traditionalist at heart. He continues to focus on hard, Test-match lengths, utilizing awkward bounce to stifle scoring opportunities. He has also refined a deceptive load-up, disguising his grip to keep batters guessing whether an off-cutter or an on-pace delivery is coming.

‘I probably don’t have a great slower ball, so it’s just about trying to confuse the batter as best I can,’ he admitted. ‘It’s a little bit of cat and mouse out there. My strength is hitting the length, hitting it hard, not floating the ball up and making it hard for the batter to hit me off that length. That’s my strength and the batters know that.’

Finding Balance in the RCB Camp

Returning to action against the Rajasthan Royals and later finding his rhythm against the Lucknow Super Giants, where he returned impressive figures of 1 for 20, Hazlewood is clearly settling back into his groove. He credits his teammates at RCB for his ongoing development, describing the bowling attack as a balanced unit where every player brings a unique skill set to the table.

‘It feels like we’ve got every base covered and I like to learn off the other guys at training as well,’ he said. As the season progresses, Hazlewood’s focus remains singular: nailing his strengths and staying one step ahead of the opposition in the ever-evolving theater of T20 cricket. By choosing to prioritize complete recovery over rushed returns, the Australian stalwart looks ready to anchor the RCB bowling line-up for the remainder of the tournament.