Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood pulls out of IPL 2015

Melbourne, April 9: Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has pulled out of the ongoing Indian Premier League after a hectic summer of cricket and a busy national schedule ahead.

Tournament Guide" title="IPL Schedule; Tournament Guide" />IPL Schedule; Tournament Guide

The World Cup-winning pacer was retained by the Mumbai franchise at USD 100,000 contract for the 2015 season after being bought in 2014, but Hazlewood decided to give this edition a miss.

The Rohit Sharma-led side lost the IPL opener to defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders yesterday.

"Josh's workload has changed significantly since he first began attending the IPL," Cricket Australia (CA) General Manager of Team Performance Pat Howard was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au today.

"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 begin their two-match West Indies tour in May end and play their one and only tour match starting May 27, three days before the IPL final.

The West Indies series is immediately followed by the five-Test Ashes, starting in Cardiff on July 8. The 24-year-old left-arm pacer made his presence felt on debut with a five-wicket haul against India during the second Test in Brisbane in December last year.

He finished the summer as an opening bowler in Australia's victorious World Cup campaign edging past speedster Pat Cummins.

PTI