Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood [Source: AFP]Cricket Australia has come under criticism after they confirmed that Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will not be available for the first few matches of IPL 2026. This situation has become a major talking point before the mega tournament, and many experts have questioned the decision. Notably, Cricket Australia is closely watching the workload of its fast bowlers, and the decision is linked to the busy international cricket schedule ahead. The board wants to manage the fitness and workload of their key bowlers over the long season.Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood unavailableAs a result, Starc, who plays for Delhi Capitals, and Hazlewood, who plays for RCB, are unavailable for the the initial matches. They are not the only players affected. Several Australian cricketers might miss part or even the entire IPL season due to workload management and injury issues.It is important to note that Cricket Australia explained that the players are being handled carefully after a heavy workload over the last year. Starc, Pat Cummins, and Hazlewood have all played a lot of cricket recently, so their participation will depend on how their fitness and workload are managed over the next few weeks.This means teams like DC, RCB and SRH might also start the season without their Australian fast bowlers. The final decision on their return will depend on their fitness progress and workload planning.Also Read: Overseas Pacers Delhi Capitals Can Sign As Mitchell Starc's Replacements For IPL 2026Aakash Chopra questions Cricket AustraliaFormer Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra raised questions about this decision. He said Cricket Australia should explain why Mitchell Starc is being held back even though he is fit and has not played competitive cricket for the last two months.In his YouTube video, Chopra shared his frustration about several Australian players missing the early IPL matches."If Mitchell Starc is also not going to come at the start, what is Cricket Australia doing? You didn't let Josh Hazlewood come, Pat Cummins isn't coming, and now you have held back Starc, even though he is absolutely fit. He has already said goodbye to T20Is. So what has he done in the last two months or so?" he said.He further added, “Although they (DC) have options like Ngidi, Chameera, Jamieson. But Mitchell Starc is Starc. If Starc isn’t there, then I see this as a bit of a problem… teams will have to start thinking about what to do. "Because if there’s no actual injury and it’s just workload management, which you anticipate because injuries might increase, so let’s manage workload and skip the IPL for a few days, then the franchises will have to take a call. What are we supposed to do and why are we doing this?” added Chopra.What is the impact on IPL teams?Notably, Mitchell Starc was bought by Delhi Capitals for INR 11.75 crore and is an important part of their bowling attack. In IPL 2025, he played 11 matches and took 14 wickets. His economy rate was slightly high, yet his presence in the team makes the bowling attack stronger and more confident. Delhi Capitals will try to build a strong start even without him, and later, his return could help the team in the final phase of the tournament.Josh Hazlewood also played a key role in RCB’s title-winning season in 2025. He took 22 wickets in 12 matches with an impressive average. He led the bowling attack and bowled important overs throughout the matchesMeanwhile, IPL 2026 is set to begin on March 28. The opening match will feature defending champions RCB against SRH at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.Also Read: Jay Shah's ICC In Trouble As Full Member Pushes New Tournament With India Out
