Josh Hazlewood Cricket Career Explained

Josh Hazlewood is one of Australia's most reliable and consistent fast bowlers of the modern era. Born on 8 January 1991 in Tamworth, New South Wales, he combines relentless accuracy with the ability to move the ball off the seam at a brisk pace — making him one of the hardest bowlers to score off in all three formats.

Bowling Style

Hazlewood bowls at 130–140 km/h — quick enough to hurry batters but not express pace. His strength is unerring accuracy: he can bowl on the same spot for extended spells, rarely straying off his line and length. His skiddy action extracts awkward bounce and he shapes the ball away from right-handers at will.

In Test cricket he often operates from one end for long spells while Pat Cummins or Mitchell Starc attack from the other, maintaining pressure without bowling full-pace. His economy rate in Tests is consistently low.

Test Career

Hazlewood made his Test debut in 2014 against India at Adelaide. He became a cornerstone of Australia's pace attack alongside Cummins and Starc — a three-pronged pace unit that took Australia to multiple Ashes victories and series wins in the 2020s.

His Test bowling average is consistently below 25 — exceptional for any format — and his ability to take wickets in the first spell of each morning session has been central to Australia's success in home and away Test matches.

White-Ball Cricket and IPL

Hazlewood has played T20Is and ODIs for Australia and been a consistent performer in white-ball cricket, particularly in death bowling where his accuracy is invaluable. In the IPL he has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, bringing his seam movement to Indian conditions.

Ashes Record

Along with Cummins and Starc, Hazlewood has been part of Australia's dominant Ashes pace attack. England batters have consistently found his relentless accuracy difficult to score off, and he regularly takes early wickets that set the tone for Australian dominance.