Josh Hazlewood Responds to Mitchell Johnson’s Criticism Over IPL Return Before WTC Final

Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has finally responded to former teammate Mitchell Johnson’s harsh criticism over his decision to return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Hazlewood, who was battling a minor shoulder injury, returned to India for the IPL 2025 playoffs with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), helping them lift their maiden IPL title. He impressed throughout the tournament, picking up 22 wickets in total. However, in the WTC final against South Africa at Lord’s, Hazlewood struggled, taking just two wickets in a disappointing outing as Australia lost the match.

Johnson, writing in *The West Australian*, questioned Hazlewood’s priorities, suggesting his return to the IPL over national duty was questionable, especially given the ongoing concerns around his fitness. “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.

Now, just days before Australia begins their Test series against the West Indies in Barbados on June 25, Hazlewood has addressed the criticism in an interview with the *Sydney Morning Herald*. He stood by his decision, explaining that returning to India offered him the best chance to prepare for high-level cricket.

“I haven’t seen any of that, to be honest,” Hazlewood said about Johnson’s remarks. “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.”

He also pointed out the poor weather conditions in Australia at the time, which limited his training opportunities. “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,” he explained.

As Australia prepares for the upcoming Test against the West Indies, the team will be without two key batters—Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Smith is sidelined with a finger injury sustained during the WTC final, while Labuschagne has been dropped following a run of poor form with the bat.