The World Test Championship (WTC) Final is only a few days away, and the Australian team has already begun preparing for the match against South Africa, which will be contested at the legendary Lord’s Cricket Ground. One of the main players to watch out for will be Australian ace pacer Josh Hazlewood, who has spoken out about his new nickname given by Indian fans following his contribution to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden IPL title.
The 34-year-old speedster was the franchise’s leading wicket-taker and joint third-highest overall, claiming 22 wickets in 12 games at an average of 17.54. As a result, the two-time World Cup winner earned the nickname ‘HazleGod’ among RCB fans. However, while Hazlewood considers the name attractive, he does not believe it will catch on in Australia.
“Hopefully, it will run out of steam relatively quickly. It’s great, certainly, to hear it around the grounds in India, but I don’t believe it’ll catch on in Australia,” Hazlewood said in a video shared on the ICC’s official Instagram page.
Watch the viral video of Josh Hazlewood and Australian teammates here:
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Australian teammates react to Hazlewood’s nickname.
Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon were among the Australian players who reacted to Hazlewood’s new nickname. While Starc laughed off the term and said he hopes it stays, he praised Hazlewood’s IPL heroics and expressed his excitement to see him play at Lord’s. On the other hand, Australia’s great spinner stated that the nickname surprised him.
“Hopefully that sticks, since I don’t believe he likes it very much. The big fella has had a terrific few months in India, returning home with lots of cash. “So I’m excited to see him in action here at Lord’s,” Starc remarked in the video.
“HazleGod, he referred to himself as it the other day, which completely surprised me. Lyon, the WTC 2021-2023 winner, stated, “After winning the IPL, I think he’s running with it.
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