IPL is a huge part of the year and probably the strongest T20 competition in the world: Josh Hazlewood

Since its inception, the Indian Premier League has grown by leaps and bounds. The T20 extravaganza has reached a global audience and all fans are eagerly waiting for its thirteenth edition to commence. However, amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the BCCI is yet to take a final call on the feasibility of the tournament.

The current pandemic situation has also affected the cricket calendar. But chances of the IPL happening this year have increased after ICC postponed the T20 World Cup on Monday. Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood, who plays for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, recently labelled the IPL as the strongest T20 competition in the world.

29-year-old Hazlewood also admitted that the prospect of IPL taking place this year will create some ‘tough’ calls for a player to take, as he would’ve to make a choice between domestic cricket and the IPL. Hazlewood is also part of the 26-man Australia squad that was named last week for the New Zealand series.

“There are a few things to fall into place yet but the IPL is such a huge part of the year for a lot of players and probably the strongest T20 competition in the world, up there with the Big Bash, and you learn a lot about how to play your T20 cricket and how to play in those conditions,” Hazlewood was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

“You’ve seen guys come out of it much better players so there’s a lot of positives to it, so if that takes a few games off us playing for New South Wales in the build-up to the international summer that’s a tough call, (and) probably comes back to the individual,” added the pacer.

Josh Hazlewood also opined on Dom Sibley inadvertently using saliva

England-West Indies series marked the resumption of international cricket amid COVID-19 pandemic. However, incidents like Jofra Archer breaching the bio-security protocol to head home and Dom Sibley inadvertently using saliva on the ball undoubtedly raised a few eyebrows. The ICC, in the wake of curbing, COVID-19 transmission, had laid rigid regulations for the players to follow.

Reacting to Archer’s incident, Hazlewood said the players must not put the game’s return in jeopardy. Regarding Sibley, the Australian quick said that using saliva is something which the players have been doing since their childhood. Hence, it will take a while before players get accustomed to the new rules.

“Absolutely. I think Jofra is one example and there’s been examples in the NRL and AFL as well. Just by hugging a mate in the crowd you miss a week,” said Hazlewood. “So we’ve got to keep those strict guidelines in place to get the sport to go ahead. So we’ll obviously learn from that mistake.”

“It’s a pretty natural habit… it’s just such a reaction to see a spot on the ball that needs fixing and you go and put some saliva on. You’ve been doing it since five years old so it will take a while to break the habit but obviously conscious of it on the field,” said Hazlewood on Sibley’s saliva episode.