Josh Hazlewood shuts retirement talks of Australia pace trio with Starc, Cummins

For nearly a decade, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc have formed the spine of Australia’s bowling attack, combining relentless accuracy, raw pace, and big-match pedigree. With all three now in their mid-30s, murmurs had grown louder that the upcoming Ashes might mark the last chapter of their celebrated partnership. Hazlewood, however, has moved quickly to cool down those suggestions, insisting the trio still have more left in the tank.

Speaking at the launch of Australia’s new ASICS kit for the Ashes, Hazlewood brushed aside the idea of an imminent farewell. He told SEN Radio that none of the fast bowlers are in a rush to call time on their careers, stressing that the drive to play Test cricket remains as strong as ever.

“I don’t think we’re in a position right now to say anything,” Hazlewood explained. “You might sit back at the end of it all and have a think about things, but at the moment everyone still loves the format of Test cricket.”

He added, “There are plenty of Tests coming up in the next couple of years. With another World Test Championship cycle ahead, there’s still so much to look forward to beyond just the Ashes. I think we’ve still got a few more games left in us yet.”

The comments arrive at a time when Cummins continues his recovery from a lumbar stress injury, and Starc has chosen to step away from T20 internationals in order to prolong his red-ball and 50-over career. Hazlewood himself has battled fitness concerns in recent seasons, but he, like his teammates, is not considering walking away.

Starc has already narrowed his priorities to the longer formats, with an eye on extending his Test career and building towards the 2027 ODI World Cup. Cummins, on the other hand, has eased off from certain white-ball commitments, preferring to manage his workload carefully so he can hit peak fitness for the Ashes opener in Perth on November 21.

So while whispers of an approaching end continue to follow them, Hazlewood’s words underline a key message—Australia’s iconic pace trio isn’t done just yet.