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‘Up There With Bumrah’ - Haddin Says RCB Star Is Among Best T20 Bowlers In World
Follow UsHazlewood picked a 3-wicket haul in his first T20I of the year for Australia
Two months ago, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their maiden IPL title, and the man who powered them to the championship was none other than Josh Hazlewood, who took 22 wickets at an economy of 8.8 in a tournament dominated by batters. For quite a while, Hazlewood has been among the best T20 bowlers in the world, but the IPL victory pushed his short-format legacy to a whole new level.
The right-armer played his first T20I for Australia since the IPL against South Africa in Darwin on August 10 (Sunday), and he showcased his class instantly, taking 3/27 in a tight game to seal a record ninth win in a row for the Kangaroos.
On the back of the showing, former Australia cricketer Brad Haddin hailed Hazlewood as a ‘top three’ bowler in T20s, up there with Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Starc.
"He's won every T20 tournament. He won the IPL recently, he's won the T20WC, he's won the BBL with the Sixers, he's won the CLT20. I'd put him up there in the top three as one of the best T20 bowlers. I know you've got Bumrah and Starcy, but I don't see anyone more effective than Josh Hazlewood,” Haddin said on the Willow Talk Podcast.
"He can bowl in all facets now. He's got a great yorker, he can change his pace, he can read the game well. If I'm picking a T20 team, I want Josh Hazlewood there."
Haddin further said how eventual winners RCB were almost ‘praying’ that they got Hazlewood back after the enforced break in May. There was uncertainty surrounding the 34-year-old’s availability for the playoffs due to a shoulder niggle he had picked up, but as it turned out, the lanky speedster returned and bowled RCB to their maiden IPL win.
"The interesting thing is that he didn't play any T20 cricket for a long time. He concentrated a lot on Test cricket. But he was at a new (different) level in the IPL. There was a lot of chatter during IPL 2025 as to who was coming back. RCB were desperately hoping that CA don't hold Hazlewood back,” Haddin noted.