'Is at such a high level': Josh Hazelwood's massive praise for India star before WTC final

Virat Kohli was heaped with praises for his fitness by an Australian pacer ahead of the ICC World Test Championship final in 2023. While the illusive WTC final kicks off on June 7, the Aussie pacer, who is also a part of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League opened up on the qualities possessed by the 34-year-old former Indian skipper. It was none other than Josh Hazlewood, who spoke to ICC about Kohli’s success mantra.

"I think it’s probably how hard he works (that stands out). His fitness first of all - and then his skill work and batting and fielding in particular. He is always out there (training) first and leaves last … and the intensity he trains at all the time is at such a high level it drags everyone else along for the ride. That can leak on to the other players and improve them as well,” Josh Hazlewood told ICC.

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While the 32-year-old pacer played only three games this season for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Virat Kohli finished as the highest run scorer of the franchise and the fourth-highest overall in IPL 2023. The former RCB skipper hammered 639 runs at an average of 53.25 and strike rate of 139.82, including back-to-back hundreds to finish the season. His first hundred in IPL 2023 against Sunrisers Hyderabad was his first IPL century since 2019.

'He was on fire': Josh Hazlewood opens up on Mohammed Siraj

Meanwhile, Hazlewood continued to shed thoughts on the Indian squad for the ICC WTC final and spoke particularly about another RCB star Mohammed Siraj. "I was a bit late getting there (to RCB this year), but before then he was on fire. He is up there at the top of the wickets every time, and the economy rate was probably the thing as bowling at Chinnaswamy (RCB’s home ground) is impossible sometimes and he was going at six or six-and-a-half an over. His control was great and he is bowling well."

 

 

 

 

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India vs Australia ICC WTC Final: Full Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, KS Bharat, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadakt, Umesh Yadav; Reserves: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav

Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Josh Inglis, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner; Reserves: Mitch Marsh, Matt Renshaw