- Senior cricketers respond to Mitchell Johnson comments calling for change
- Johnson questioned the motivation of several senior Australian players
Australian cricket stars Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon have hit back at former teammate Mitchell Johnson’s scathing remarks about the team following Australia’s recent defeat in the World Test Championship.
Johnson, one of the nation’s greatest wicket-takers in Test cricket, recently questioned the motivation of several senior Australian stars he used to play alongside.
‘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,’ Johnson wrote in his column in The West Australian.
‘Lyon didn’t look his best on day three either.
‘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.
‘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.
Former Test star Mitchell Johnson (pictured) has questioned why some senior players are hanging around
Josh Hazlewood (pictured with wife Cherina) defended his decision to head to India
‘I’m not being overly critical of an ageing team which has achieved plenty together … but it’s essential to consider when the right time is to make some tough calls.’
Hazlewood resumed his commitments in the lucrative IPL instead of travelling directly to London to prepare for the WTC final.
‘I haven’t seen any of that, to be honest,’ Hazlewood told The Age when asked about Johnson’s stinging remarks.
‘We know what’s going on inside our rooms. It seemed far and away the best place to get ready for any type of cricket that was coming up.
‘The weather was definitely a factor as well. Just getting over there and playing intense competition like that, it’s hard to replicate in training.
‘Sydney, it was raining and I had literally nowhere to bowl. I got to Brisbane for three or four days and it was very wet. We were lucky to get on.
‘I just thought the best place to bowl was India. We were still in the competition, we were going to play semis, and I was going to be there for 10 days.
‘I think it was comfortably the best option.’
Nathan Lyon (pictured with wife Emma) also poured cold water on Johnson’s remarks
Nathan Lyon also rejected the idea that senior players were hanging around for a send-off instead of making way for younger talents.
‘Regarding “Johnno”, there’s nothing really to be said there,’ Lyon said.
‘We never take any of our positions for granted. There’s that much competition within the squad … and guys putting the senior players under pressure.
‘There’s no one planning a farewell tour or anything like that. I don’t see there’s a reason why the guys can’t keep going for a number of years.
‘They’re only doing that for the betterment of Australian cricket. We want to play in games, we want to win games.
