Josh Hazlewood's big IPL contract is proof that he's elevated into elite category across all formats

Josh Hazlewood's dependable bowling style is now bearing its fruit in the game's shortest format as he becomes hot property in all forms of cricket.

Having already proven an incredible Test and ODI record, Hazlewood leaves this weekend's IPL mega-auction with a huge pay packet of $1.4m for his services in the upcoming tournament. A sum that no Australian has surmounted in this auction.

In exemplary coordination, on the same weekend, his figures of 12/4 and 22/3 reminded home fans of that justified dollar figure.

In the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Friday, he took his career-best figures of 12/4 in a suffocating spell. He then replicated those scenes in the second match on Sunday with 22/3 and a Super Over that only yielded five runs. Both efforts have helped take Australia to a 2-0 lead in the series.

The two performances headlined why Royal Challengers Bangalore eventually opted with the right-arm quick at the auction. His uniquely metronomic and consistent bowling style has ultimately found himself a place in the T20 format.

It has simply capped off a stellar twelve months in the T20 format for Hazlewood, whose IPL final and T20 World Cup final figures were integral to his side's victories in both tournaments.

In November, he took 16/3 in the World Cup final from four overs bowled (economy rate of just 4 runs). He took the key wickets of Williamson, Phillips and Mitchell, which limited New Zealand's first innings total. One month prior, his 29/2 helped the Chennai Super Kings along to the 2021 IPL title.

Interim coach Andrew McDonald said Hazlewood has simply had more time to work on the T20 craft, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has given the highly-skilled bowler the best opportunity to succeed in the format.

Other teammates and support staff were quick to envelop Hazlewood in praise following his heroics in Sydney.

"The way 'Hoff' bowled that last over was extraordinary," Matthew Wade told the media on Monday.

"[It is] the best I've seen him bowl in T20 for a long time. His 50-over stuff has always been excellent, his Test cricket [as well]. This is the one [format] he probably hasn't mastered until the last two years."

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Hazlewood's T20 career can be distinctly categorized into three chapters

In all T20 matches (domestic and international) from December 2009 to March 2016, Hazlewood played 30 games for 115.5 overs bowled, 37 wickets taken, an average of 24.35, and an economy rate of 7.8.

From March 2016 to January 2020, he played no T20 games.

Since then, he has played 33 games for 133.4 overs bowled, 48 wickets taken, an average of 19.6, and an economy rate of 7.05.

Likened to Glenn McGrath early in his career, Hazlewood has found a way to implement a solid bowling technique bound by consistent line and length into the shortest format of the sport. A phenomenon that is sure to please many rusted-on Test cricket fans who are yet to tap into the T20 world.