Border-Gavaskar Trophy : Former pacer Brett Lee backs ‘fit’ Hazelwood over Boland for Brisbane | Cricket News

With pacer Josh Hazelwood out of the second Pink Ball Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Adelaide due to a side strain, pacer Scott Boland played his first Test in an year. The tall Australian pacer picked up five wickets in the match including four Indian top-order wickets in the match. With the Australian selectors set to take a call on the availability of Hazelwood post the training session on Thursday, former Australian pacer Brett Lee had backed Hazelwood over Boland if he is fit for the third Test at Brisbane.
“Look it’s a tough one but you’d have to go back on form and what Josh Hazlewood has done. For me personally, Josh Hazlewood slips straight back in. If he’s fully fit he gets the new ball or at least is definitely back in the team,” Lee told Fox Sports.
Boland was playing his first Test in 18 months post the Third Ashes last year. The Australian pacer, who had played in ten Test matches prior to Adelaide, picked up the wickets of Shubman Gill and Indian captain Rohit Sharma in India’s first innings at Adelaide followed wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal , Virat Kohli and Mohammad Siraj in the second innings. Hazelwood too had picked up five wickets in the opening Test at Perth including his four wickets in India’s first innings. Lee compared Boland’s situation with spinner Stuart MacGill playing in the shadow of Shane Warne. “It’s unfortunate for Scott Boland because when he’s had his opportunity he’s nailed it. I look at Scott Boland and I probably think he’s a bit like MacGill playing in the Warne era. MacGill took 200 Test wickets bowling when Shane Warne was either injured or out for other reasons. So he was a quality, quality bowler,” said Lee.
With Mitchell Starc, skipper Pat Cummins and Hazelwood leading the Australian pace attack, Lee believes that Boland could find a place in any team in the world. “Boland could be in any team around the world. Any playing nation. But unfortunately, when you’ve got Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood, they’re still doing the business and they’re in his way at the moment. It’s nothing against Boland because he’s bowled the house down,” said Lee.