"I don’t know why he’s over playing IPL" - Michael Clarke wants Josh Hazlewood to prepare to play red-ball cricket

Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has questioned Josh Hazelwood's decision to compete in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) instead of preparing for Australia's red-ball cricket commitments.

The Aussies have a long Test season ahead of them, starting with the World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 7. Clarke voiced doubts over whether bowling four overs a game is the best preparation for the marquee series in England.

Hazlewood returned to action on Monday, May 1, from a long injury hiatus. He helped the Royal Challengers Bangalore defend a paltry 126 against the Lucknow Super Giants.

Sharing the new ball with Mohammed Siraj, the right-arm seamer recorded splendid figures of 3-0-15-2, justifying his retention at INR 7.75 crores.

Meanwhile, Michael Clarke feels Josh Hazelwood should be in Australia preparing for red-ball cricket. He doesn't believe the IPL will serve as the best preparation for a grueling winter in England.

As quoted by Fox Sports, the World Cup-winning captain stated:

"I don’t know why he’s over playing IPL. I don’t know why he’s not over here in Australia preparing to play Test match cricket. I know they’ll have people over there, in the nets he’ll be bowling more than what the IPL players are bowling, in preparation for Test match cricket.

"But I just don’t know if him bowling three overs, four overs right now is his best preparation for an Ashes series, after the injuries he’s had and the amount of time he’s had out of Test cricket.

"It’s great to see him back playing, there’s no doubt about it but for Australian Test cricket fans, you want to see him at his best for this Ashes series."

Hazlewood is one of the five frontline pacers named in Australia's 17-man squad for the WTC final and the first two Ashes Tests. The 32-year-old hasn't played any red-ball cricket since the New Year's Test against South Africa in January.

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"No one is saying no to India" - Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke. (Image Credits: Getty)

With the amount of money involved in the IPL, Michael Clarke declared that players will find it hard to deny the opportunity to play in the competition. He also feels Cricket Australia are equally helpless and elaborated:

"They can do it now. They can stop you going. But it’s India. Are you kidding? No one is saying no to India.

"We had the conversation about Cameron Green … Is it in Cameron’s Green’s interest right now, with his body, with the Ashes series coming up, with the amount of cricket we have coming up, for him to be over there playing IPL? Or would he be better off taking four weeks rest, recover, rehab and start a pre-season?

"Unless Cricket Australia are going to say, ‘OK, the IPL has just offered you $3 million for eight weeks … We’ll pay you that $3 million, you stay home and train with us,’ there’s nothing they can do."

The Ashes series kicks off on June 16 at Edgbaston shortly after the conclusion of the WTC final between Australia and India.