The Australian report card in the IPL 2025 examination Premium
The Hindu
Josh Hazlewood shines in IPL with precision bowling, while Glenn Maxwell disappoints; a breakdown of key Australian players' performances.
The precision-personified Josh Hazlewood has been the standout Australian performer of this IPL season. The ‘Hazlegod’ nickname, conferred on by RCB fans, feels earned.
In stark contrast, Glenn Maxwell has been drastically underwhelming considering his T20 form before the IPL; Jake Fraser-McGurk has regressed from explosive to ineffective; Travis Head, though he’s still contributing, hasn’t dominated pace like last season and is clearly below his blistering 2024 standards.
From the best to the worst, here’s a performance breakdown of the regularly-featured key Australian players in this IPL season.
Josh Hazlewood (18 wkts): At the MRF Pace Foundation ground here in March, Glenn McGrath, asked to pick pacers he thought would do well this season, picked Josh Hazlewood - besides, of course, Jasprit Bumrah (no-brainer) - for their “best control.”
McGrath added: “You don’t have to bowl a completely different ball every ball, but as long as you have that execution...”
How well has Hazlewood executed for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season! To begin with, a honed skill and a physical attribute have helped him shine. Nothing fancy.
Honed skill: Consistently bowling in the channel outside off.
Explore Germany's innovative shared leadership model in field hockey as co-coaches guide the junior men's team at the World Cup.
Shahrukh Khan dropped from Tamil Nadu squad amid poor performance in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as team struggles.
Three-year-old Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha becomes the youngest player to earn a FIDE rating, achieving a rapid rating of 1,572.
AITA reappoints Rohit Rajpal as Davis Cup captain until December 2026, ensuring leadership continuity for crucial upcoming matches.
IND vs SA 2nd ODI: ‘You dream of moments like these,’ says centurion Gaikwad on big stand with Kohli
Ruturaj Gaikwad reflects on his maiden ODI century and partnership with Kohli in India's thrilling 2nd ODI against South Africa.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya vows to resolve the crisis in Indian football after meetings with key stakeholders in New Delhi.
Josh Inglis is likely to replace Usman Khawaja in Australia's lineup as Cummins' potential return looms ahead of the second Ashes Test.
Harendra Singh resigned as head coach of the Indian women's hockey team amid player complaints about his outdated coaching style.
A ‘Yingcredible’ career for a magician with the racquet
Tamil Nadu’s struggles in SMAT, result of a collective failure
Rohit Sharma unveils India's 2026 T20 World Cup jersey ahead of the tournament, joined by Tilak Varma in Raipur.
Glad to be part of American Gambits at Global Chess League: Murzin
Shubman Gill returns as vice-captain for India's T20I series against South Africa after recovering from a neck injury.