Border-Gavaskar series: Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood set for nets bowl-off for spot in Aussie Test team

First there was the bat-off that failed to tell selectors much, now the Australian squad is set for a bowl-off with spinner Nathan Lyon hinting whether Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood play in the third Test could be decided in the nets on Thursday.

Lyon said Boland, who took five wickets in the last Test against India, was pushing hard to retain his spot for Saturday’s match as Hazlewood returns from a side strain that ruled him out of Australia’s emphatic second Test win in Adelaide.

“They are class bowlers. All our fast bowlers in our squad are class bowlers, so it’s going to be a tough decision for the selectors, but that’s a great problem to have,” he told 7NEWS.

Hazlewood bowled two full spells on Adelaide Oval as head coach Andrew McDonald and bowling coach Daniel Vettori watched on Monday, a day after Australia levelled the Border-Gavaskar series 1-1.

“(It’s about) cooling down pretty much fully and then going again in the same day, and the intensity has got to be right up there as well,” the 278-wicket Test star said on Monday.

Hazlewood admitted having Victoria workhorse Boland patiently waiting in the wings made the decision to rest easier, but now that decision might come back to haunt him with Boland producing a sublime bowling effort to claim 5-105 in Adelaide.

In Boland’s first Test since July 2023, the 35-year-slotted seamlessly back into the pace attack alongside captain Pat Cummins and pink-ball wizard Mitchell Starc.

Lyon, who only bowled one over in the city of churches, said he was raring to go.

“We had a really good week, off a tough week in Perth, backed it up with an unbelievable week in Adelaide,” he said.

“We like playing at the Gabba, especially this time of year.”

Meanwhile, the Indian camp has bowling issues of its own as it sweats the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah after he failed to train in Adelaide on Tuesday as he recovers from a groin injury.

Although Nathan McSweeney had a testing initiation against the speed demon in Test cricket he’s hoping India’s talisman plays at the Gabba.

Bumrah has taken McSweeney’s wicket in each of his three Test innings this series.

Bumrah trapped McSweeney in front twice for 10 and 0 with vicious swinging deliveries in Perth, but the Australian responded with a well compiled 39 in Adelaide under lights as he partnered with Marnus Labuschagne in a 67-run second-wicket stand that helped set up a series-levelling 10-wicket win.

“If you want to win you want to do it with the best guys. Hopefully he is charging in and hopefully we can play really well,” McSweeney said.

Bumrah was player of the match in Perth and McSweeney bore the brunt of his magic.

“Facing him for the first time, he is a unique bowler and obviously world class,” he said.

“I am really enjoying the experience of trying to work out a game plan on the run against a world class bowler. Hopefully I will get better the more I face him and hopefully throw a few more punches here at the Gabba.”

With AAP