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Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood recently revealed that he found it really tough when he moved to Sydney from Tamworth during his younger days to pursue cricket.
During his appearance on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) podcast, he mentioned that he lived with his family members till he was 18, and they ensured that everything was taken care of for him.
The fast bowler suggested that moving out to Sydney wasn't an easy move for him, given that he hailed from a small town with a population of just close to 200 people. Recalling the shift, here's what Hazlewood said:
"It was pretty daunting. I was 18 years old and lived at home with mum and dad and had everything looked after for me. From 200 people living in the town that I grew up in, to Sydney, which is four or five million people."
It is worth mentioning that Josh Hazlewood made his debut for New South Wales (NSW) in 2008 when he was just 17 years old, making him the youngest-ever pacer to represent the team. He also became the youngest player to debut for Australia in ODIs in 2010.
"Always felt cricket was my first passion" - Josh Hazlewood on leaving athletics
Josh Hazlewood also spoke about taking part in javelin throw and shot put during his childhood. He, however, revealed that cricket was always his top priority and he took up athletics to keep himself fit during the winters.
The 32-year-old stated that he was more inclined towards cricket due to it being a team sport, elaborating:
"I always felt cricket was my first passion. I was probably around 15 or 16 years old when I had to make a choice. I really just did athletics in the winter to keep myself fit and get some time off school.
"Cricket was my main passion, and it was a team event, so that sort of pushed me in that direction. It's a lot more fun playing with your teammates than a solo career in athletics, which can be a bit lonely sometimes."
"Individual sports are so difficult, not that I've done that for a long period of time, but it's probably more low days than high days. If you're in a team event, it's 50-50, you win or lost the game. Even if you have a bad day or a bad week, your teammates can have a great week, and you can enjoy their success," Hazlewood added.
Josh Hazlewood will next be seen in action for RCB in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023).
The Bangalore-based side will open their campaign with a clash against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, April 2.
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