Australia’s seasoned quick Josh Hazlewood inched closer to processing his case for a comeback in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with an intense 45-minute session at the Allan Border Field, some eight kilometres away from the Gabba, where the actual action against the Indians begins Saturday.

Hazlewood, who missed the day-night Test in Adelaide with a side strain, proved his fitness under the scorching Queensland sun alongside his longtime partner-in-crime Mitchell Starc, as the duo fired in unison under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Daniel Vettori.

With only short run-ups available in the Gabba nets and no spare centre wickets, Hazlewood and Starc opted to train at the secondary venue. This also meant that the Australian top-order batters were robbed of the opportunity to face the star quicks during their first major training session since Sunday’s win at Adelaide.

The 32-year-old Hazlewood had already started bowling on the sidelines during the Adelaide Test last week but has to wait for the medical staff to assess his fitness after Thursday’s session, given that the two teams will have another two Tests to be played in the series after Brisbane.

“The great thing about Josh is he’s a very level character. He’ll do everything he can to get up for the game and then it’s up to the leadership group and the selectors to tick that one off,” Mitchell Marsh commented on Thursday.

If Hazlewood is cleared to play the Brisbane Test, it will be at the expense of Scott Boland, who impressed with a match haul of five wickets, helping Australia to the 10-wicket series-leveling win in Adelaide.

Meanwhile, Mitchell Marsh, the seam-bowling all-rounder, also dispelled concerns over his back stiffness and insisted that he is open to roll his arms for as many overs skipper Pat Cummins wants him to bowl while putting his trust in the coaching and medical staff amid a cautious build-up to the series.

“I’ll try and be ready to bowl as much as Patty needs me. Our allrounders haven’t bowled a hell of a lot in Australia the last few years, but I am really thankful for our medical staff and Ronny [coach Andrew McDonald] and Patty who have allowed me the space between that first and second Test to just get right for the game,” Marsh said.

“I didn’t bowl as much as I would have liked to in the lead-up to the series, but our medical staff, Ronnie and Patty were really clear. I trusted that. I haven’t had to bowl too much so far but my body is feeling really good … right now it’s feeling as good as it has felt,” he added.

Jasprit Bumrah’s menacing pace and accuracy floored Australian top-order batters during the first two Test, but Marsh managed to escape the onslaught and credited that to his own method of dealing with the No.1 ranked Test bowler.

“When you have the best bowler in the world and (if) you are just trying to see him off, he is going to have one with your name on it. I think it is about applying pressure with your own method and taking the challenge on,” Marsh noted.

“Everyone has their own plans and we all bat differently so (it’s about) the situation in the game. Sometimes you have to get through a spell and sometimes it is time to attack. We have guys in our batting lineup who just play differently.

“Getting through your own way and moving the game forward is really important when you are facing one of the best attacks in the world,” the all-rounder added.