Australia failed to defend their Test mace with a five-wicket loss against South Africa at the final of the (WTC) 2023-25 at Lords on June 14. Notably, this was Australia’s first loss in an ICC final after 2010. After Australia’s disappointing defeat in the WTC final their former pacer Mitchell Johnson raised questions over the performance of ‘big four’ of Australian bowling lineup the likes of skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.
Mitchell Johnson particularly questioned Josh Hazlewood who could only bag two wickets in the entire final at Lords. Johnson also raised questions over Hazlewood choosing to prioritize ahead of the WTC final. After the IPL was suspended for a week due to India – Pakistan tensions, it resumed again after 10 days with the final getting shifted from May 25 to June 3. Hazlewood, who was a part of RCB, also took part in IPL after resumption along with the playoffs and the final with WTC final starting on June 11.
‘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. 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. Lyon didn’t look his best on day three either,” Johnson wrote in his column for The West Australian.
It’s crucial that we embrace the future…’ Mitchell Johnson
Speaking further, Mitchell Johsnon also advised the Australian team to build confidence on young talents and prepare a new Test side. He also took examples of Sam Konstas, Josh Inglis and Scott Boland who get minimal chances in the Australian setup and have a pressure to prove themselves.
‘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.