'Prioritised IPL over national team': Australian legend slams Pat Cummins and Co. after WTC final loss to South Africa

Australia's renowned fast bowler Mitchell Johnson offered a thought-provoking perspective following the defeat of Pat Cummins' team against South Africa in the World Test Championship final at Lord's on Saturday. South Africa made history by clinching their first WTC title, joining New Zealand and Australia as the only teams to do so.

While Australia allowed South Africa to execute the second highest run chase at Lord's in Test history, Johnson remarked that the bowling 'big four'—Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon—should no longer be considered a guaranteed selection, urging selectors to contemplate changes.

He specifically highlighted Hazlewood, who managed only two wickets in the five-wicket loss. Johnson accused the bowler of 'prioritising' participation in the IPL over 'national team preparations' when the league resumed after a brief hiatus. After the IPL was paused for a week due to the India-Pakistan conflict, Hazlewood, who was with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, returned home to recuperate from a side strain. He subsequently went back to India to rejoin the RCB for the playoffs, where his team ultimately secured the IPL 2025 title.

"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 wrote in The West Australian. 

"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," he added.

Australia's Test squad presently includes numerous players aged 30 and above. After their loss in the WTC Final, captain Cummins suggested that a reset could be forthcoming. Nonetheless, Johnson questioned whether the veteran players are merely lingering for a farewell during the upcoming Ashes this summer, urging for chances to be provided to more enthusiastic, younger players.

"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.

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