Hazlewood timing his emergence right

Josh Hazlewood has been emerging for the best part of five years, but he seems to be timing his latest emergence to perfection. He entered this one-day series against South Africa with only two ODIs to his name and with a World Cup squad to be announced in less than two months, it was the ideal chance for a late audition. After three games, he is the leading wicket-taker from either side.

Hazlewood was named in Test squads in 2010 and 2012 but is yet to receive a baggy green, and it could be argued he would have been too raw for Test cricket had the moment arrived. Now he appears likely to be part of the squad for the first Test against India at the Gabba in a fortnight and the bounce, speed and swing he has displayed in the ODIs are all weapons that could trouble India's batsmen.

Hazlewood is still only 23 but seems to have been on the fringes of the national side forever. He made his one-day international debut at 19 and was called into Australia's Test squad to tour India in the same year, but had to withdraw due to a back stress injury. At that point, he had played only six first-class games and bowled 140.4 overs in the format.

Two years later, with a grand total of 41 first-class wickets at 31.51 to his name, he was called up for the home Tests against South Africa, but again was kept on the sidelines. Now, the Australian public is seeing what impressed talent scouts and the national selectors from such a young age. If his baggy green comes this summer, Hazlewood would be ready to hit the ground running.

"I think I'm much more ready now, definitely," Hazlewood said. "I've been on the park for a while now in succession, and I haven't really had that in previous years. The body's feeling good and everything seems to be falling into place ... Obviously I've been going pretty well the last few weeks and got that [Sheffield] Shield game early in the season, which was good.

"There's plenty of bowlers in the mix, so we'll see how it goes. I think it's just getting older and getting the body a bit stronger over the last few years. It would be pretty special. I've been 12th man once before and got pretty close on a few other occasions. It would be pretty exciting."

It goes without saying that Mitchell Johnson will be the first bowler picked for the Gabba Test, and the successful return of Ryan Harris at Sheffield Shield level after a long injury lay-off suggests that he will be there as well. Peter Siddle's match-winning effort in Victoria's Shield game in Adelaide will also be hard to ignore, so squeezing Hazlewood into the Brisbane team would not be straightforward.

So far this summer he has played only one Shield game, against Victoria at the MCG, where he collected three wickets for the match. It remains to be seen whether he will play in the Shield match starting on Tuesday, which could depend on his workload over the final two matches in the ODI series against South Africa, on Friday and Sunday.

"I think we'll take that as it comes," Hazlewood said, "depending on these next two games and how much I bowl, and how the body is feeling."

For now, he is enjoying the chance to represent his country for more than just one game here or there, and succeeding against some of the best ODI batsmen in the world. Hazlewood has taken nine wickets in the series at 14.66, more than any one of the powerful South African trio of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel.

"Their attack has been the same for a while and it's world-class with those three guys," Hazlewood said. "We've tried to match them in the games if not better them on some occasions. It's been quite a tough ask but I think we've done pretty well."