Michael Clarke slams Josh Hazlewood for playing in IPL 2023 instead of preparing for Ashes 2023

Josh Hazlewood played his first game for RCB in IPL 2023 against LSG after missing 8 matches at the start.

Michael Clarke, former Australia captain has criticized pacer Josh Hazlewood for playing in the ongoing IPL 2023 instead of staying back in the country and prepping for the upcoming Ashes series which will be played in England from June onwards.

Clarke, who retired from the game after winning the 2015 World Cup for Australia, said that he could not fathom why Josh Hazlewood is playing in IPL 2023 rather than sweating it out at home to prepare for the WTC final in June followed by the all-important Ashes in England.

Josh Hazlewood, who was out of action since January this year after injuring his Achilles heel during the South Africa Test series at home, and missed the Test and ODI series on the India tour, sat out of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s first eight matches of the ongoing season before getting his first taste of action against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday night.

The tall pacer churned out an impressive show taking 2/15 from three overs.

I don’t know why he’s (Hazlewood) over playing IPL: Michael Clarke

However, Clarke feels that Hazlewood, who is one of the key pacers for Australia along with captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, should not be playing IPL to prepare for red-ball cricket, especially after returning from a serious injury.

“I don’t know why he’s (Hazlewood) over playing IPL. I don’t know why he’s not over here in Australia preparing to play Test match cricket. I know they’ll have people over there, in the nets he’ll be bowling more than what the IPL players are bowling, in preparation for Test match cricket. But I just don’t know if him bowling three overs, four overs right now is his best preparation for an Ashes series, after the injuries he’s had and the amount of time he’s had out of Test cricket,” Clarke told Fox Sports.

He was asked whether Cricket Australia can pull their international players out of the ongoing IPL, Clarke said: “They can do it now. They can stop you going, But it’s India. Are you kidding? No one is saying no to India."

Michael Clarke opines on Cameron Green's workload

He then talked about the workload of young and upcoming all-rounder Cameron Green, who is doing wonders for Mumbai Indians (MI).

“We had the conversation about Cameron Green … is it in Cameron’s Green’s interest right now, with his body, with the Ashes series coming up, with the amount of cricket we have coming up, for him to be over there playing IPL? Or would he be better off taking four weeks rest, recovering, rehab and starting a pre-season?" Clarke said.

“Unless Cricket Australia are going to say, ‘OK the IPL has just offered you $3 million for eight weeks … we’ll pay you that $3 million, you stay home and train with us,’ there’s nothing they can do," he said.