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Glenn McGrath says the country's latest fast bowling sensation, Josh Hazlewood, will have no problems joining Australia's exclusive 200-wicket club after a sensational start to his Test career.
The giant paceman became the 33rd Australian to take a five-for on Test debut and 16th to do so in his debut innings, emulating the deeds of Dennis Lillee, Brett Lee and Graham McKenzie. Fellow young guns James Pattinson and Pat Cummins also achieved the feat in 2011.
Senior players in the Australian squad believe Hazlewood is the best of a high-quality group of next-generation quicks rising through the ranks. His body racked with cramp on the first day, Hazlewood, who claimed 5-68, triggered a collapse by India which lifted flagging Australian spirits and loosened the visitors' hold on the game.
McGrath is expecting a long and successful career for the giant fast bowler. Only 10 Australian quicks have reached the milestone but McGrath believes the boy from Bendemeer has what it takes to join some of the greats of the game.
"Without a doubt, now it's up to him," McGrath, who has taken more Test wickets than any other fast bowler, told Fairfax Media.
"If he continues working hard off the field, improving his game, getting fitter and stronger all the time and never being happy with where he is, he'll get 200 easy."
Hazlewood may not reach the dazzling heights of McGrath but appears to have the former great's accuracy, only faster.
"He bowls good areas, bowls a heavy ball, gets bounce on any tracks. He's going to be good," McGrath said.
"He's going to be quality. He's got good control. He may not be quite as quick as Cummins or Pattinson or as in your face aggressive as Patto is, but he'll put pressure on you the whole time."
Unfortunately for Australia, the trio of Hazlewood, Cummins and Pattinson will not be seen together in the baggy green this summer. Pattinson has only recently resumed bowling at grade level in Melbourne while Cricket Australia has made the limited-overs arena the focus for Cummins, who has not played a first-class match since August last year. Young fast bowlers have often fallen into the trap of bowling too short at the Gabba, carried away with the extra bounce on offer – but not so Hazlewood.
Not only did Hazlewood pitch the ball up, he sacrificed a yard of pace in search of swing. His three wickets on the second day all came from good-length deliveries which moved.
His best delivery was that which removed Ajinkya Rahane, who, on 81, was seeing the ball so well he managed to nick one, which angled towards off stump and moved away late.
"He bowled well yesterday, and bowled exceptionally well today," McGrath said.
Like most young fast bowlers, Hazlewood has battled injury – in his case back stress fractures and shin soreness – but rising 24, he is almost at the stage where he is not considered as vulnerable to breaking down. He suffered an injury scare on the first day but that was dismissed as cramp due to the energy-sapping mix of heat and humidity.
"I was a bit nervous going into yesterday and it was obviously a tough slog in that heat and again this morning, but to take five-for is pretty special," Hazlewood told the ABC.
"It's pretty tough up here when that humidity gets high. You've got to keep going for as long as you can, and I've never cramped up that bad before. Hopefully I don't again. It was quite painful. All the bowlers had their issues but ended up bowling them out, which was a good effort today."
