Former Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson criticized Josh Hazlewood for choosing to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) instead of preparing for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Hazlewood’s decision to prioritize the IPL over the national team’s preparations for the WTC final resulted in a lackluster performance in the match, where he only managed to take two wickets. Johnson called for strict action from the Australian selectors, suggesting that players like Hazlewood should be reconsidered for future selections.
Johnson emphasized the importance of building confidence in selecting the next generation of Test players, urging the selectors to give opportunities to younger talents like Sam Konstas, Josh Inglis, and Scott Boland. He highlighted the upcoming Windies tour as an opportunity to introduce deserving players and hinted at the need for regeneration within the team.
While acknowledging the achievements of established players like Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne, Johnson stressed the significance of making tough decisions for the team’s future success. He suggested that finding a specialist No. 3 batsman is crucial and expressed confidence in the selectors’ ability to make strategic changes for the upcoming matches.
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