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Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has become a controversial figure after former Test cricketer Mitchell Johnson criticized him for opting to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) rather than get ready for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Hazlewood's decision to rejoin Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) while the IPL was suspended mid-way through the season in 2025, in particular, has caused a stir because it was made in contravention to the national team's focus on the marquee Test clash against India.
Johnson, a former fast bowler and outspoken commentator, did not hold back in his criticism, maintaining that Hazlewood's IPL re-entry "raised eyebrows" and put his commitment to Australian cricket into question. The 2025 IPL season was shutdown for a short period because of the geopolitical situation between India and Pakistan and many Australian players withdrew altogether, including Pat Cummins and David Warner. However, Hazlewood chose to return to IPL, and then he contributed to RCB's title win. Johnson underscored the incongruity in Hazlewood's actions, particularly because he was then underwhelming in the WTC final at The Oval - where he took just two wickets across two innings. "We have seen problems with his fitness, and he only added to the questions of prioritizing the season of IPL," Johnson wrote in his column.
Josh Hazlewood's excellent IPL 2025 performance (22 wickets at average of 17.54) could not have been more opposite to his Test experience, where he captured just 2 wickets in Australia's WTC final loss to South Africa. Despite having an outstanding career (281 Test wickets at 24.70), post-IPL fatigue increased his red-ball strike rate to 58.3 and ramped up the angst against him (especially in the wake of comments back questioning mainstream players' commitment to the national team). Mitchell Johnson commented on the workload of the players; a Test vs. IPL question arose around Hazlewood's lack of impact on the Test against South Africa (1/58 during South Africa's chase) in which they won the Test. The struggle to balance players' franchise commitments and readiness for a Test creates continued pressure on selectors to deal with player fitness and national team commitments.
The aftermath raised wider questions about player workload management. Johnson called on selectors to reflect on managing these situations differently, adding that players like Michael Neser or Scott Boland have earned an opportunity to participate in the next series, including the Tests against the West Indies. "You always must put your national team in front of everything," Johnson said, summing up a view also echoed by fans and commentators concerned about T20 leagues taking precedence over international matches.
Hazlewood justified his IPL engagement, claiming that competitive match practice is crucial for his WTC fitness. "The intensity of bowling in high-pressure IPL matches is unlike any other," he said, explaining that the match situations could not be gained from a net session. This position illustrates an emerging tense situation between a player's professional obligations and national service, made worse by the crowded cricketing calendar.
Ultimately, Hazlewood's predicament is a microcosm of a sport at a junction – one where the distinctions between club and country are becoming more and more indistinct, leaving players and administrators trapped in a potentially complicated environment.
