Hazlewood ruled out of WTC Final, Neser joins squad

Scott Boland is in the box seat to play in this week's World Test Championship final after Josh Hazlewood was replaced in Australia's squad for the one-off clash against India starting on Wednesday.

Michael Neser has joined the official 15-man group but Boland now looks certain to partner Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to play at The Oval.

Hazlewood has bowled at full tilt in recent training sessions in Formby and Beckenham in the lead-in to the Aussies' six-Test tour of the UK but is still managing a left Achilles issue as well as a side injury that flared up during the recent Indian Premier League.

“Josh was very, very close to being given the green light but we are cognisant that our upcoming schedule means this is not a one-off Test match for us," Chair of Selectors George Bailey said.

“Michael’s County form has been strong and knowing that he was going to be close by allowed for him to keep playing and for us to be able to call on him. He is a great strength to have as part of the fast bowling group.

“This will give Josh an ideal preparation leading into Edgbaston. With six Test matches in a little over seven weeks we will need all of our fast bowling assets.”

Coach Andrew McDonald said while his side is eager to win their maiden WTC title, the tight turnaround to the five-Test Ashes campaign remains a consideration in managing their fast bowlers.

"Definitely consideration for (the schedule) - we don’t want to go too far ahead," McDonald told reporters.

"We’ve got the WTC final to play, which we are excited about, but on the back of that we have to quickly turn our attention to England and the Ashes. There are short turnarounds there. That’s nothing we’re not used to.

"So, there’ll always be considerations around management … I’d say there’d be some moving parts amongst the quicks."

Neser was not named in Australia's extended 17-man group for the first three Tests of the UK campaign but, along with another reserve quick in Sean Abbott, has been training with the squad in recent days during centre-wicket sessions in southeast London.

Neser, who has two Tests to his name, was already in the UK playing for Glamorgan in the County Championship having taken 19 wickets at 25.63.

Hazlewood has played just four Tests in the past three years due to a series of injuries but shared a stint of new-ball bowling with Test skipper Pat Cummins during the team's preparation in England and troubled no less a talent than Steve Smith.

The 32-year-old returned early from his recent stint in the IPL suffering slight soreness in his left side, having been ruled out of the preceding Test campaign in India with a recurrence of the Achilles problem he sustained in the final Test of the Australia summer.

Australia's brainstrust have therefore taken a cautious approach with Hazlewood given the other pace options – Cummins, Starc, Boland, Cameron Green and now Neser – in the squad for the WTC Final starting Wednesday (7:30pm AEST).

Speaking to cricket.com.au on Saturday, Hazlewood had been bullish on his chances of playing in the WTC final but admitted playing in that might see him struggle to back up for the first Ashes Test on June 16.

"It's probably one or the other for me at this stage," Hazlewood told cricket.com.au when asked about the likelihood of playing in both those crucial fixtures.

"Just being over here for the last week and bowling in England, it does feel a lot easier on the body compared to Australia or India where it can be hot, the wickets are really hard and you've got to bend your back to get something out of them.

"In England it feels like you can just take that a couple of percent off, bowl a bit within yourself and the wicket does enough for you." 

World Test Championship Final

June 7-11: Australia v India, The Oval

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishan Kishan, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat

Find out everything you need to know for the World Test Championship Final here