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Cape Town - Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood is ready to take on the mantle of being the bowling leader in the upcoming Test series in Bangladesh.
The Aussies will be missing pacemen Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson for the two matches against the Tigers, starting in Mirpur on 27 August.
And although the series could be dominated by slow-bowlers in spin-friendly conditions, the 26-year-old Hazlewood still wants to lead from the front.
Starc has been rested for the series as continues his recovery from a stress fracture to his foot while Pattinson was suffering with inflammation around an area of his back where he had a previous stress fracture.
Pat Cummins and Jackson Bird will be Hazlewood's pace partners in Bangladesh while the uncapped leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson will join Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar as the slow-bowling options.
Speaking to reporters from Australia's training camp in Darwin, Hazlewood said: 'I see myself as a leader amongst the group now.
"There's only going to be a couple of quicks in the team and a few spinners (but) as long as we're working together, I think we'll be okay.
"The team's changed a lot since I first came in, and I've gone from a junior player to a senior player, so I try to take that extra initiative to lead from the front."
The second Test against the Tigers is scheduled for 4-8 September in Chittagong.
