Australian and Chennai Super Kings fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has opted out of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) due to bio-bubble fatigue and the long international cricket season ahead.
“It’s been a long 10 months in bubbles and quarantine at different times, so I decided to have a rest from cricket and spend some time at home and in Australia in the next two months,” Hazlewood told cricket.com.au on Wednesday.
“We’ve got a big winter ahead too. The West Indies is going to be a long tour, with Bangladesh (T20 tour) potentially thrown on the end of that,” he added.
“Then potentially the T20 World Cup leading into the Ashes, so it’s a big 12 months, as it always is with Australia, and I want to give myself the best chance to be mentally and physically ready for that. That’s the decision I’ve made, and it sits pretty well with me,” he said.
“We’re looking for a suitable replacement for Josh… we’ll finalise it in the next few days,” CSK CEO KS Viswanathan said.
Hazlewood isn’t the first Aussie to have decided to withdraw from the IPL. On Wednesday, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh also announced his decision to skip the IPL 2021 with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
