London: Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood has spoken highly of Royal Challengers Bangalore teammates Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj ahead of the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval starting June 7.
Hazlewood, who has been battling with multiple injuries over the last six months, had to cut short his IPL stint with a side issue. However, he feels he is not far from bowling full tilt as Australia gears up for the big final.
Talking about Kohli, whose wicket he will be targeting at The Oval, Hazlewood said the Indian superstar’s work ethic makes him the player that he is.
“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,” Hazlewood told the ICC.
On RCB’s leading wicket-taker Siraj, who is expected to play a big part in the WTC final, Hazlwood said: “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.”
