'Josh Hazlewood has done his job' - Matthew Hayden defends fast bowler's comments amid reports of rift in Australia dressing room

The cricket world is abuzz as Australia navigates both on-field struggles and off-field speculation during the Perth Test against India. With a daunting target of 534, Australia were bowled out for 238 runs, giving India a historic 295-run win.

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Amid the pressure, comments by fast bowler Josh Hazlewood have sparked rumors of a possible rift within the Australian camp. Following a tough day for the team, Hazlewood seemed to deflect responsibility onto the batters during a press conference.

His remarks led to debates about team unity, with former Australian cricketers offering differing views. The attention has now shifted to the dressing room dynamics. Former opener Matthew Hayden has stepped forward to defend Hazlewood.

What did Josh Hazlewood say?

After a long day in the field, Hazlewood was asked whether Australia could chase down the massive target. His response raised eyebrows.

“You probably have to ask one of the batters that question... I’m probably looking mostly towards the next Test.”

These comments, coming after Australia's fragile batting display, sparked debates about whether the bowler was publicly criticizing his teammates. Adam Gilchrist, speaking on Fox Sports, questioned whether there was a divide in the team between the batters and bowlers.

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How did Matthew Hayden defend Josh Hazlewood?

Matthew Hayden dismissed concerns of a rift, supporting Hazlewood’s perspective.

“Josh Hazlewood was asked whether or not [Australia can chase 534 and win], he did everything to put his team well in the match. After bowling his heart out for 28 runs, he came up with the conclusion that you have to ask the batters about it." 

Hayden explained that Hazlewood had fulfilled his role as a bowler and that the batters were now responsible for the outcome.

"Look, I took no problems to it at all. At the end of the day, he's done his job, but the batters have to do the job. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to do it."

Hazlewood’s comments drew varied opinions. Michael Vaughan suggested the statement reflected an internal strain, saying, "Publicly, I’ve never heard an Australian divide the camp into batters and bowlers like that."

However, other voices, including Ravi Shastri and David Warner, played down the speculation, urging focus on the game. Meanwhile, Hazlewood’s frustration came after a disciplined bowling effort.

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Australia’s poor start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has brought both their cricketing form and dressing room dynamics under scrutiny. As they recover from the Perth Test loss, the team's ability to regroup, on and off the field, will be critical.

With India’s dominance growing, all eyes now turn to how Australia approaches the remainder of the series.