How will the IPL 2025 Hazelwood, Stark and Cummins help in the WTC final 2025? Scott Bolland Answer

With Australia ready to defend their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title at Lord’s next month, the attention is not merely on their vaunted pace attack, but also on the path followed by each one of them in getting match-fit. While Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been busy in the IPL 2025, pacer Scott Boland is pinning hopes on a different form of preparation in a bid to find a place in a settled XI.

IPL workload assisted Australian pacer to be match fit

Despite the IPL being a high-octane T20 league with shorter bowling spells, Boland believes the high-pressure environment and intensity of the tournament have their own advantages.

“For me personally, I like that the best. You can just get what you need to get done. And then all the other guys have been playing IPL, the other three bowlers, so they’re ready to go. They’re match-hardened. And I think the intensity of the IPL helps when you go from format to format. They’ve already been at 100%. The only step up for them is just bowling a few more overs which they’re definitely used to,” Boland said as per ESPNCricinfo.

“I think we’re really comfortable with the way that we do it now. I don’t think we’ve played a practice game since I’ve been in the team. We haven’t had a scheduled tour game. So I think you can get as much out of training if you have the right conditions. And I think the set-up we’ve got at Beckenham is perfect. There’s a really nice centre-wicket, beautiful run ups, all that kind of stuff. So it’s as close you can get to a game without playing a game.