Former Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson is unable to digest Australian defeat against South Africa in the final match of the World Test Championship. Due to which he has targeted Josh Hazlewood for playing a playoff match for the RCB team in the IPL. Johnson says that Hazlewood gave priority to RCB before his national team.
RCB defeated Punjab Kings in the playoff qualifier-1 and made it to the finals and then won its first IPL title by defeating the same team in the final. Josh Hazlewood proved to be a star bowler for the team, who returned to India from Australia, specially for the playoffs.
The IPL 2025 was postponed between India and Pakistan tension. After which it started again from 17 May. It was difficult for players from South Africa and Australia to return to the final of the World Test Championship in England. Pat Cummins, including Hazlewood, was part of the WTC final team but decided to return to India for the remaining IPL matches. While South African players returned, but returned to their national team before the playoffs.
Johnson said that, Josh Hazlewood has been struggling with fitness problems for some time but he decided to return to the IPL in place of the national team. This raises a big question on the preparations for the World Test Championship final.
Hazelwood took 15 overs in the first innings and got just 1 wicket success. Cummins took 6 wickets in this innings. She got the same wicket in the second innings of South Africa, when Africa was standing on the threshold of victory and she wanted only 6 runs. In this innings, Hazlewood conceded 58 runs in 19 overs.
He also said that our successful Big Four Balling Attack of Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Leone cannot be considered confirmed in the future. If senior players remain only till retirement after the Ashes, then the question arises whether this is the right mindset. It is important that we decide further keeping in mind the future. Show the new players confident in select.