Johnson urges changes in Australian team, criticises Hazlewood’s IPL priority

Former Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson on Sunday strongly criticised Josh Hazlewood for prioritising the Indian Premier League (IPL) over national duty.

In an article for the West Australian, Johnson urged Cricket Australia to consider making changes to the team following their recent World Test Championship (WTC) defeat to South Africa in final.

He expressed doubts about the future of Australia’s bowling ‘big four’—Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon—suggesting they should no longer be regarded as automatic selections.

Johnson specifically questioned Hazlewood’s decision to prioritise returning to the delayed IPL over national team preparations.

“Our successful ‘big four’ bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon can’t be taken for granted as a lock going forward either,” Johnson noted.

He also raised concerns about Hazlewood’s fitness and priorities.

“We have 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. Lyon didn’t look his best on day three either,” he added.

Johnson further questioned whether senior players were simply prolonging their careers to get a farewell during the upcoming Ashes series.

He warned that sticking around just for a send-off could be detrimental to team progress and urged selectors to embrace the future by giving chances to fresh talent like Sam Konstas, Josh Inglis, and Scott Boland.

“If veteran players are sticking around just for the Ashes as a send-off, it does beg the question of whether that’s the right mindset. It’s crucial that we embrace the future and build confidence in selecting our next Test players.

"Players on the fringe such as Sam Konstas, Josh Inglis, and Scott Boland, despite being 36, have a different mentality. They’re eager to prove themselves every time they get a chance,” Johnson added.

Johnson criticised Australia’s batting order, saying neither Cameron Green at number three nor Marnus Labuschagne as an opener were long-term solutions. 

He pointed to Green’s poor performance and Labuschagne’s struggles as key issues.

Johnson argued that reshuffling the batting order to compensate for lack of form was not a sustainable strategy, especially with important tours ahead.

He emphasised the need to provide opportunities to younger, hungrier players on the fringes of the squad.

“It’s obvious Green didn’t perform well—out for four and zero, facing just five balls in the match. And the way he got out to Kagiso Rabada in both innings highlights that he might not be suited for that position. 

"But the real issue stems from Marnus Labuschagne’s poor form, similar to what we saw with Steve Smith moving up to open when he was struggling a bit.

“I’m just not a fan of these batting reshuffles to cover for lack of form. With the West Indies tour and then the Ashes coming up this summer, Australia will need to settle on not only two openers but also find a reliable No. 3,” he concluded.