Hazlewood to skip IPL, focus on Tests

World Cup winning pace bowler Josh Hazlewood has had his Indian Premier League season curtailed ahead of Australia's defence of the Ashes and Frank Worrell Trophy this winter.

Retained by the Mumbai Indians on a $100,000 contract for the 2015 season after being bought in the 2014 auction, Hazlewood was not with Ricky Ponting's team for their opening match of the eighth IPL season against Kolkata on Wednesday night.

But after a grueling summer, Hazlewood and Cricket Australia opted to withdraw the fast bowler from the lucrative tournament with a packed winter schedule on the horizon.

“Josh's workload has changed significantly since he first began attending the IPL,” said CA General Manager of Team Performance Pat Howard. 

“The IPL is the players' leave period and in Josh's case it was deemed that not playing was the best use of that time in the lead up to a busy winter. 

“This was agreed to with the IPL following discussions at the end of the Test Series.”

Australia play their one and only tour match in the Caribbean just days after the IPL final, before two Tests against the West Indies is immediately followed by the five-Test Ashes series starting in Cardiff on July 8. 

Watch: Hazlewood's five-wicket haul on Test debut

Hazlewood rose to international prominence last summer, making his Test debut in the second Commonwealth Bank Test against India at the Gabba, taking 5-68 in his first innings.

He finished the summer as an opening bowler in Australia's victorious World Cup campaign having edged ahead of speedster Pat Cummins in the pecking order with his consistent line and length and ability to generate steep bounce that has drawn comparisons with Glenn McGrath.

Meanwhile, Perth Scorchers bowler Andrew Tye has been ruled out of the Chennai Super Kings' opening IPL game tonight against state teammate Nathan Coulter-Nile and the Delhi Daredevils.

Tye's injury is a blow for Chennai and their bowling coach, former Australian Test player Andy Bichel, with Irfan Pathan also out of contention.

"Irfan Pathan is not fit (and) Andrew Tye is also carrying an injury," Chennai head coach Stephen Fleming said.

"They won’t be considered for selection at this stage. Their progress will be assessed on a day to day basis."