Josh Hazlewood’s Brisbane Test hopes come down to Australia’s Thursday training session

Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland’s hopes of playing in the third Test rest on an all-important training session on Thursday. And the sight of a juicy, green Gabba wicket will only spur them on.

The Gabba Test deck was tree-frog green after the rain stopped on Wednesday but India should not despair.

Curator Dave Sandurski plans to get his mower out on the two sunny days forecast before the start of the third Test on Saturday.

It would still not surprise if it’s a bowl first wicket and a quick Test. Most are these days. Josh Hazlewood, on his way back from a side strain, will be desperate to play when he views the deck.

The Gabba deck looks ‘tree-frog green’ just days out fom the third test. Picture: Adam Head

Sandurksi said his goal was to make the pitch similar to last month’s Sheffield Shield game between Queensland and Victoria which had scores of 186, 297, 439 and 238.

“It should be right,’’ Sandurski said on Wednesday.

“We are still three days out from the game so there are still three or four cuts to go and half a dozen rolls to go. A bit of fine weather the next two days and it will change a fair bit between now and game day so hopefully it is similar to last couple of years.’’

“We read the forecast pretty closely and we knew this weather was coming. We started a day early so as you suggest it was under cover for close to 24 hours and there was 75mm overnight.

“It does make the preparation a little bit tricky but we’ve had a few wet preparations the last couple of years so we are pretty happy where we are at at the moment.

“We are just trying to make a traditional Gabba wicket like we do each year. Like last year. That is the aim. Weather conditions do come into it.’’

The Gabba head curator David Sandurski speaks about the pitch ahead of the 3rd Test. Pics Adam Head

Thursday shapes as D-Day for Hazlewood with the Australian quick needing to get through training to prove his readiness for the third Test.

While Brisbane’s heavy rain eventually abated, the Aussies practiced indoors at Allan Border Field on Wednesday, three days out from the start of the Gabba clash with India.

While Hazlewood was spotted alongside teammates at the national cricket centre, he didn’t roll the arm over during what was an optional session.

Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Beau Webster all batted against side-arms from coaches.

As is convention, Thursday’s session at tbe Gabba – two days out from the start of the Test – will be Australia’s main practice ahead of the clash.

Josh Hazlewood is racing the clock to prove his fitness for Australia. Picture: Getty Images

Hazlewood bowled in the middle at Adelaide Oval on Monday as he seeks to return after missing the second match following a side strain suffered during the heavy first Test defeat in Perth.

Should Hazlewood be cleared to play, Scott Boland – who replaced him in Adelaide – is almost certain to make way.

The tourists have arrived in Brisbane and are set to train before the Aussies on Thursday morning at the Gabba.

Hazlewood said earlier in the week that he was on track to play in Brisbane and could almost have played in Adelaide.

Scott Boland impressed in his return to the Test team in the win at Adelaide. Picture: Getty Images

“I think if this was the last Test of the summer, I could have potentially ran the gauntlet and played,” Hazlewood said.

“I think I would have been in a pretty bad state by the end of the game, even though it was only a short game, it just wasn’t quite right.

“It’s not necessarily your typical side strain, which I’ve had a couple of in my career. You’re running into bowl and you just grab your hat and you’re off and you’re out for six weeks.

“It’s not that sort of side strain. It’s from sort of repetitive use.

“It’s caused me a lot of trouble over the past few years, but (have had) perfect prep this year and played the shield game and ticked all that off.

“I was very happy where I was and it still happened. So I was pretty annoyed there for a few days. There was plenty of meetings and stuff from from CA’s (Cricket Australia’s) point of view, physios, doctors, all that stuff.

“So (they have) come up with a few options and will see if we can stop it from happening again.”

Originally published as Josh Hazlewood’s Brisbane Test hopes come down to Australia’s Thursday training session