Josh Hazlewood has missed 15 of 25 Tests on home soil. The case for retirement is starting to mount

Josh Hazlewood's wretched run of injuries has continued for another summer, with the experienced Australian bowler officially ruled out of the entire Ashes series.

It's a cruel blow for the 34-year-old, who when fit and firing is one of the world's elite Test bowlers. His struggles to stay on the field and string Tests together goes back several years now.

Hazlewood has now missed 15 of a possible 25 Test matches on home soil over the past five summers - a disappointing record caused only by his body failing him.

READ MORE: Potential Benji replacement 'secretly nominated'

READ MORE: 'Tough situation': Salah in limbo after dramatic Liverpool win

READ MORE: 'Give him a hug': Champ Norris feels 'bad' for Piastri

This time around it was a hamstring strain compounded by a separate Achilles issue and the question needs to be asked whether the big quick has a future at Test level.

Nobody could ever doubt his talent or record, having claimed just shy of 300 scalps in the baggy green at an average in the mid-20s, including 13 five-wicket hauls.

However, over the past few years, Hazlewood has become perhaps the country's best bowler in the shorter formats and the time for him to step back from red-ball duties could allow the rangy quick to prolong his white-ball career.

Early in his career in the national set-up, Hazlewood was seen as more of a red-ball specialist, but it's no secret he has fine-tuned his work in the shorter formats.

He played a key role in Australia's only T20 World Cup victory four years ago and with the next edition of the tournament just months away, his attention will soon turn there.

"He will be out of the series and his preparation will then shift towards the World Cup, which is an incredibly important campaign for us," head coach Andrew McDonald said.

Hazlewood has taken 79 wickets at 21.26 during his T20I career in the green and gold, giving him a better record than some other first-choice Aussie quicks.

For comparison, Mitchell Starc has the same amount of wickets in more games and at a higher average, while Pat Cummins has 66 wickets at a higher average as well.

Nathan Ellis, who has become somewhat of a death-bowling whiz for Australia, has claimed 50 wickets at 17.72 in a much smaller sample size.

In the 50-over format, Hazlewood's record is solid without being spectacular.

He averages slightly less than Cummins with just one less wicket than the Test skipper, but it's Starc who stands head and shoulders above the rest at ODI level with a very impressive 247 wickets at an average of less than 24.

Australia are the current holders of the ODI World Cup trophy and Hazlewood looms as a major part of a team shooting to retain that title in 2027, while also being a crucial player for the side as they look to regain the T20 World Cup trophy in March of next year.

The star-studded Test team is in a good position and there is plenty of depth when you factor in the likes of Fergus O'Neill, Xavier Bartlett and Jhye Richardson, who aren't in the current squad but starred in the recent Australia A fixture against the England Lions.

If forgoing the rigours of Test cricket when he has nothing left to prove can help his country win prized silverware on the world stage, giving the longer format away could be a discussion worth having between Hazlewood and CA officials soon.

Australian fast bowlers white-ball career record

Josh Hazlewood

• ODI: 142 wickets at 27.66 - 35 strike rate
• T20: 79 wickets at 21.26 - 17 strike rate

Mitchell Starc

• ODI: 247 wickets at 23.58 - 26.8 strike rate
• T20: 79 wickets at 23.81 - 18.4 strike rate

Pat Cummins

• ODI: 143 wickets at 28.78 - 32.7 strike rate
• T20: 66 wickets at 23.57 - 19 strike rate

Nathan Ellis

• ODI: 18 wickets at 43.27 - 46.5 strike rate
• T20: 50 wickets at 17.72 - 13.5 strike rate

Sean Abbott

• ODI: 35 wickets at 36.31 - 38 strike rate
• T20: 33 wickets at 24.90 - 16.1 strike rate

Xavier Bartlett

• ODI: 15 wickets at 11.13 - 16.4 strike rate
• T20: 19 wickets at 20 - 15.9 strike rate