Australia’s World Test Championship (WTC) final loss to South Africa has reignited an old debate: country or franchise? At the center of this latest storm is Josh Hazlewood, who has now broken his silence in response to Mitchell Johnson’s harsh critique of his decision to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the WTC showdown.
Johnson questions Hazlewood’s priorities
Following Australia’s crushing defeat at Lord’s, Johnson took aim at Hazlewood, questioning the pacer’s commitment to the national side. In his column for The West Australian, Johnson accused Hazlewood of prioritising the IPL over his Test responsibilities.
“We’ve seen concerns about Hazlewood’s fitness in recent years, and his decision to prioritise returning to the delayed Indian Premier League over his national team preparations raised eyebrows,” Johnson wrote.
Hazlewood, who had been recovering from a shoulder niggle, made a late return to the IPL 2025 season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he claimed 22 wickets and played a pivotal role in their maiden title win. However, his underwhelming performance in the WTC final—managing just two wickets—gave critics like Johnson ammunition to question whether his IPL stint had cost Australia dearly.
Hazlewood: IPL was the ‘best option’
Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald ahead of the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados, Hazlewood dismissed the criticism and offered a detailed explanation of why returning to India made more sense than staying in Australia to prepare.
“I haven’t seen any of that, to be honest. We know what’s going on inside our rooms. It seemed far and away the best place to get ready for any type of cricket that was coming up. The weather was definitely a factor as well. Just getting over there and playing intense competition like that, it’s hard to replicate in training,” Hazlewood said.
He pointed out the poor training conditions in Australia as a major factor in his decision.
“Sydney, it was raining, and I had literally nowhere to bowl. I got to Brisbane for three or four days, and it was very wet. We were lucky to get on. I just thought the best place to bowl was India. We were still in the competition, we were going to play the semis, and I was going to be there for 10 days. I think it was comfortably the best option.”
Test series begins without Smith and Labuschagne
Australia is now gearing up to face the West Indies in a two-match Test series, starting June 25 in Barbados. The team will be without both Steve Smith—sidelined with a finger injury sustained in the WTC final—and Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped after a string of poor performances.
As the debate over IPL commitments and national duty continues to swirl, Hazlewood’s response offers a glimpse into the complex balancing act modern cricketers must perform. But whether his explanation satisfies critics—or puts the controversy to rest—remains to be seen.
