As the cricketing world counts down to the highly anticipated World Test Championship (WTC) Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s, all eyes are on the form and fitness of key players. Among them, Josh Hazlewood stands out—not just for his bowling exploits, but also for his newfound stardom among Indian fans after his stellar IPL 2025 performance with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Hazlewood was instrumental in RCB’s historic maiden IPL title win this season. The veteran seamer ended the tournament as the franchise’s highest wicket-taker, claiming 22 wickets in 12 matches at an outstanding average of 17.54. His match-winning spells and ice-cool temperament earned him a cult-like following, leading to fans affectionately dubbing him ‘HazleGod’ across Indian social media and stadiums.

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Despite the adulation, Josh Hazlewood remains humble. Speaking in a video shared by the ICC, the 34-year-old chuckled at the nickname, admitting, “Yeah, hopefully, it runs out of steam pretty quickly. It’s flattering to hear it around the grounds in India, but I don’t think it’ll take off in Australia.”

 

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The nickname, however, has become a light-hearted talking point within the Australian camp. Mitchell Starc, who also featured in the IPL this season, laughed at the moniker and quipped, “Hopefully, it sticks because I don’t think he likes it too much. He’s had a fantastic few months over in India and come back with bags of cash. I’m looking forward to seeing him fire again at Lord’s.”

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Even seasoned off-spinner Nathan Lyon weighed in with a grin. “HazleGod—he actually referred to himself as that the other day, which totally took me by surprise. But he’s riding the wave after that IPL win, and fair play to him.”

With momentum from India and confidence from recent success, Hazlewood’s presence could be vital as Australia seek back-to-back WTC titles.