Veteran Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been confirmed to miss the rest of the 2025–26 Ashes series after suffering a fresh blow to what had already been a fragile fitness situation. Hazlewood missed the first two Tests following a hamstring strain sustained during a domestic match in the final round of the Sheffield Shield ahead of the series.
However, there was hope he might return later in the series, but a subsequent Achilles tendon issue derailed his comeback. Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Hazlewood would sit out the rest of the Ashes
"Really flat for him. A couple of setbacks we didn’t see coming. We thought he’d play a huge part in the series. We really feel for him that he won’t get that opportunity," McDonald said while speaking to reporters.
Meanwhile, there is some encouraging news for the Aussies, with captain Pat Cummins, who had missed the first two Tests due to a back issue, expected to return for the third Test at Adelaide starting December 17, 2025. Australia will likely rely on the form of bowlers Michael Neser or Scott Boland, who are already in the lineup.