NewKerala.com

Selector defends Cummins, Hazlewood T20 WC snub, cites IPL timing clash

Australian selector Tony Dodemaide has defended the controversial omission of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood from the T20 World Cup squad, attributing it to a scheduling clash with their injury recoveries. He stated that if the Indian Premier League had preceded the World Cup, the players would have prioritized the international tournament. Australia's campaign ended in a shock group-stage exit after Zimbabwe progressed due to a rain-abandoned match. The team will now look to end on a high in their final group game against Oman.

Key Points: Aussie selector on Cummins, Hazlewood missing T20 World Cup

  • Defends leaving out star pacers
  • Cites reversed schedule as key factor
  • Notes players' commitment to Australia
  • Both likely fit for IPL
2 min read

"If IPL was first and T20 World Cup was second, they'd be missing IPL": Tony Dodemaide on Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins

Tony Dodemaide says if IPL was first, pacers would skip it for World Cup. Australia eliminated after Zimbabwe's rain-affected match.

"If it were in reverse, the IPL was first, and the World Cup was second, then they'd be missing the IPL to play in the World Cup. - Tony Dodemaide"

Melbourne, February 18

Australian selector Tony Dodemaide defended the decision to leave out ace pacers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Dodemaide's comments came after Australia was eliminated from the T20 World Cup. The group-stage elimination came as a major surprise for one of the tournament favourites.

The Australian selector Dodemaide said Hazlewood and Cummins would have skipped the Indian Premier League (IPL) if the schedule had been reversed.

Hazlewood is struggling to overcome Achilles and calf issues after initially suffering a hamstring injury on November 12. Cummins, on the other hand, hasn't played since his lone appearance in the third Ashes Test in mid-December. He opted to skip the remainder of the Ashes series to protect his back from lumbar stress, with the T20 World Cup in mind, but was withdrawn from the initial squad.

Despite missing the T20 World Cup, it appears very likely that both will be fit for the IP, barring any further setbacks.

"It is what it is," selector Tony Dodemaide told reporters on a call on Wednesday, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"It's a timing issue. If it were in reverse, the IPL was first, and the World Cup was second, then they'd be missing the IPL to play in the World Cup. It's not going to be frustrating for us at all. We know their commitment to want to play and succeed for Australia," he added.

Australia were eliminated from the tournament after Zimbabwe qualified for the Super Eight stage following their Group match against Ireland in Pallekele, which was abandoned due to rain on Tuesday.

Australia is having a forgetful campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The Men in Yellow suffered a 23-run win over Australia, before co-hosts Sri Lanka thrashed them by eight wickets.

The Mitchell Marsh-led side will look to end their campaign on a positive note when they face Oman in their final group stage match on February 20 in Pallekele.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Respectfully, this feels like an excuse. If they were truly injured, fine. But the selector's statement makes it sound like a choice. National duty should come first, always. Australia's early exit might be a result of this mindset.
A
Aman W
IPL is the biggest stage in T20 cricket, let's be honest. The quality, the pressure, the crowds... it's a different beast. World Cup is for prestige, but IPL prepares you for everything. Tough schedule for players, though.
S
Sarah B
From a management perspective, it makes sense. Protect your assets (the players) for the league that pays their bills. Harsh but true. The international calendar is just too packed now.
V
Vikram M
As an Indian, I have mixed feelings. We love seeing Cummins and Hazlewood in the IPL, but this shows the power shift in cricket. The franchise league is now the priority, even for players from big nations. Game has changed forever.
K
Karthik V
"It is what it is" – what a casual way to address your team's World Cup failure! The fans who support the national team deserve better commitment. Hope BCCI and our Indian players are watching and learning what *not* to do.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50