Josh Hazlewood slammed for ‘prioritizing IPL over nation’ by Mitchell Johnson after Australia’s ICC WTC loss

Josh Hazlewood managed to pick only two wickets in the ICC WTC 2023-25 final.

In a harsh critique of the team’s ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final defeat to South Africa, Australian great Mitchell Johnson stated that the bowling “big four” of Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc should no longer be viewed as a “lock.” He urged the selectors to think about making a change.

Josh Hazlewood, who was only able to take two wickets in the five-wicket loss, was the target of his special attention. When the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 resumed following a week-long break, Johnson accused the pacer of “prioritizing” playing in the league over “national team preparations.”  

Hazlewood eventually led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their first championship after returning a few days after the season started due to a side strain.

“Our successful ‘big four’ bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon can’t be taken for granted as a lock going forward either.

We’ve seen concerns about Hazlewood’s fitness in recent years, and his decision to prioritize returning to the delayed Indian Premier League over his national team preparations raised eyebrows. Lyon didn’t look his best on day three either,” Johnson wrote in The West Australian.

With the majority of their players being over 30, Australia appeared to be a peaking team in the competition. Cummins, the captain, also alluded to a potential reset following the game.

Australia need to figure out their No. 3 batter: Mitchell Johnson

Johnson, meanwhile, questioned whether the seniors were “sticking around” for the summer Ashes to have a “send-off” and pushed for opportunities to reach more hungry periphery players.

“If veteran players are sticking around just for the Ashes as a send-off, it does beg the question of whether that’s the right mindset. It’s crucial that we embrace the future and build confidence in selecting our next Test players. Players on the fringe, such as Sam Konstas, Josh Inglis, and Scott Boland, despite being 36, have a different mentality. They’re eager to prove themselves every time they get a chance,” Johnson added.

Johnson added that neither Marnus Labuschagne as the opener nor Cameron Green at number three are viable long-term options for Australia.

“It’s obvious Green didn’t perform well – out for 4 and 0 and facing just five balls for the match. And the way he got out to Kagiso Rabada in both innings highlights that he might not be suited for that position. But the real issue stems from Marnus Labuschagne’s poor form, similar to what we saw with Steve Smith moving up to open when he was struggling a bit. I’m just not a fan of these batting reshuffles to cover for a lack of form. With the West Indies tour and then the Ashes coming up this summer, Australia will need to settle on not only two openers but also find a reliable No.3,” he added.

Australia’s next test assignment will be against the West Indies, which will be their first series of ICC WTC 2025-27.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.