Josh Hazlewood

Renowned for his metronomic accuracy and relentless seam movement, Josh Hazlewood emerged as the quintessential modern fast bowler. Drawing immediate comparisons to Glenn McGrath, the New South Wales tall paceman relies on a smooth release and consistent top-of-off-stump landing to relentlessly pressure world-class batters. His height allows him to extract steep, awkward bounce on flat pitches without needing to sacrifice control. He made an emphatic Test debut against India in 2014, capturing five wickets in his opening innings at the Gabba to signal his international arrival.

As a vital pillar of Australia's formidable pace trio alongside Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood provided the unyielding control that complemented his partners' raw speed and swing. His ability to hit the seam consistently makes him lethal in all conditions, whether drying up runs on hot subcontinental pitches or tearing through top orders under English skies. He played pivotal roles in multiple Ashes triumphs, as well as Australia's victorious World Test Championship campaign. His workhorse reliability in the red-ball arena has made him one of the most trusted bowlers in world cricket.

While initially viewed primarily as a red-ball specialist, Hazlewood executed a remarkable career evolution to become an elite short-form bowler. By developing subtle pace variations, an accurate yorker, and a highly effective hard-length delivery in Powerplays, he transformed into a top-ranked T20 international bowler. He proved central to Australia winning its maiden ICC Men's T20 World Cup title in 2021, producing a controlling spell in the final against New Zealand. He replicated that white-ball excellence during Australia's 2023 ODI World Cup victory, routinely striking early in opponent innings.

That white-ball mastery translated directly into franchise T20 success, where he established a reputation as the ultimate big-match final charm. After winning an IPL championship with Chennai Super Kings in 2021, he anchored Royal Challengers Bengaluru's attack as their primary pace bowling leader. His pinpoint accuracy and death-overs composure proved central to breaking the franchise's long-standing title curse in 2025, bowling a nervy final over to secure RCB's maiden IPL crown. He continued his franchise brilliance by helping spearhead RCB to a historic back-to-back IPL title defense, proving that traditional line-and-length bowling remains highly effective in modern T20 cricket.

As an absolute star across all three formats, Hazlewood continues to refine his craft while spearheading Australia's attack on all fronts. His quiet demeanour and methodical approach mask a fierce competitive streak that wears down opponents through sheer relentless accuracy. Free of overt flashiness, his value to Australian cricket rests on absolute technical discipline and dependable big-match execution. He stands as a master craftsman whose modern career proves the timeless value of unwavering length and control.