Former Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has sparked debate by questioning Josh Hazlewood’s decision to prioritise the IPL over national duties, especially in the lead-up to the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Hazlewood, a key figure in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) historic IPL title win, joined the team late in the season despite lingering injury concerns—an act that didn’t sit well with Johnson.
Writing in The West Australian, Mitchell Johnson expressed his disappointment with Hazlewood’s choices. “We’ve seen recurring concerns about Hazlewood’s fitness in recent years, and his decision to return to the delayed IPL instead of focusing on national team preparations certainly raised eyebrows,” Johnson stated.
Josh Hazlewood played a crucial role in RCB’s narrow six-run win over Punjab Kings in the final, but couldn’t replicate that form in the WTC final. He ended with figures of 2 for 85 across 34 overs, struggling to make key breakthroughs.
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Mitchell Johnson didn’t stop at Hazlewood. He voiced broader concerns about Australia’s aging bowling core, questioning whether continued reliance on the seasoned quartet of Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon is sustainable.
“Our ‘big four’ can’t be considered automatic selections going forward,” he warned. “If veterans are hanging on just for a fairytale Ashes farewell, we must ask whether that’s the right approach. We need to start trusting and building confidence in our next line of Test bowlers.”
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Australia’s defeat in the WTC final marked just their fourth runner-up finish in an ICC event. Few expected South Africa to chase 282 in the final innings, but an inspired partnership between Aiden Markram (136) and Temba Bavuma (66) sealed a famous five-wicket win.
Next up, Australia tours the West Indies from June 25—a chance to reset and possibly blood emerging talent as they look ahead to a new Test cycle.
