Xavier Bartlett Interview: IPL exposure helps to advance my Australia case

After he had hunted hard in the house group for over half a decade and deserved to be one of the most promising, fastest bowlers in the country, turned out to be a life -changing year for Queensland’s Xavier Bartlett in 2024.

Bartlett, a big quick bowler who has the gift of fast, late swing, began winning the Big Bash League with Brisbane Heat in 2024. And he drove the heat to the title and turned out to be the highest Wicket truck in the competition (20 gates at 14.70 / 7.63).

Less than 10 days after the BBL Triumph PHP, Bartlett wore the Aussie Green and Gold for the first time by debuting West Indies in the Home Odi series, and adding another international upper limit to his name by also playing in the following T20I series.

And it would prove to be an extraordinary two weeks for the right weapon, which in the end would take 10 gates in the three games with two four people in so many odis.

Bartlett would add six more T20i caps over the next six months, but the icing on the cake would come in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, right towards the end of the year.

Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Shardul Thakur, Mustafizur Rahman and Alzarri Joseph belonged to all the international almost Bowlers, who were not sold at the IPL 2025 Mega auction, but Bartlett had an IPL -Treaty in the early morning of November 26 in Australia after Punjab Kings for INR 80 Lakh.

“I saw the auction at home. It was obviously a very strange feeling to see me sold. It was pretty late in the middle of a shield game at home.” Bartlett said cricket.com in an exclusive chat.

“I knew that Ricky (Ponting) was obviously the coach of Punjab (kings), and it was one of the teams in which I would like to play. He was one of my idols (grew up), someone I looked at. Very grateful for the opportunity to give me the Ricky and Punjab.”

For someone with just two odis under his belt, it didn’t take long for Bartlett to give an impression in the IPL.

A violation of Lockie Ferguson paved its way into the start-Xi for the 26-year-old, and he met his second ball in competition and rejected one of the sizes in the white ball cricket in Quinton de Kock.

Our chat with Bartlett occurred before meeting Knight Riders, but it was certainly an extraordinary game to debut the Speedster, with Punjab being the lowest overall defense in the 18-year history of the competition.

It remains to be seen how many more games Bartlett will get in IPL 2025, but the goals of the 26-year-old are clear: to absorb as much knowledge as possible and return a much better and smarter bowler.

“I want to absorb everything and learn as much as possible,” said Bartlett.

“Here (in IPL), especially under Indian conditions, there is a wealth of knowledge and experiences.

“Arshdeep, Lockie and Jansen played a lot of cricket here. Obviously, Arsh is the number one T20 Bowler number one in the world. It is great to have his knowledge and experience, and he is someone I am happy to work with much more.”

Punjab defended 111 against KKR last night, but Bartlett’s introduction to the IPL, the first game he observed from the shelter from the dugout was a 243 against 232 against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.

Bartlett observed two nights before this GT -Clash, as Sunrisers Hyderabad 286 looted against Rajasthan Royals, who responded with 242 runs. These are in a competition like the BBL, in which 215 were only adopted three times in the last two seasons.

“It is a bit discouraging to see from the sidelines (as a bowler),” admitted Bartlett and spoke about the amazing high scores in competition.

“But it is a big challenge to come here and face a high number of points. You have to find ways to try to fight the battery.

“Sometimes they do not try to take gates, but to defend. And sometimes when they don’t get them out, they will get the runs. It is a great opportunity to improve my own skills. They will also have a few bad days that they prepare for success.”

“Ultimate Dream is to play test cricket for Australia.”

Despite nine appearances, Bartlett was a start year in 2024 in terms of international cricket. 8 gates in 2 games with an average of 4.75 justify him as an automatic selection in the 50-over cricket, but the 26-year-old could not add his two Odi caps due to a combination of early injuries and workload management by Cricket Australia.

He had the chance to push his case in the white ball tour from England in September, but in the first game of the tour in the middle of his spell.

Australia priorified more experienced bowl on the way to the 2025 Champions Trophy that Bartlett gradually fell from the Odi scene, but the 26-year-old is determined to work up and become a white ball for the Kangaroos.

“Last year I was unlucky; I recorded an outdoors, so I missed the Odi series against England. We are so lucky in Australia that we have so many great quick bowlers. Obviously Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood above, because the best three we have ever had, and we also have other quick bowlers.

“Opportunities like the IPL will definitely help to advance my case. Even if I don’t play, it is an opportunity to be able to be able to be able to be able to be with both hands.

The good news for Bartlett is that he is a lot on CAS radar, and this is reflected in their actions.

Exactly a year ago, Bartlett registered to play five County Championship and eight Vitality Blast games for Kent. However, approx. However, Bartlett should have the NOC in the five red balls of Matches, citing workload management.

Playing County Cricket would undoubtedly have made the 26-year-old a much polished bowler, but Bartlett sees the “glass half full” side of the situation.

“It is good to be supported by approx.

“The Kent (T20) stint was still very good. I was lucky enough to go there and play the T20 explosion. I learned a lot about bowling under different conditions and played with some great players. Hopefully I can take some of these findings in the IPL.”

Like any other fast bowler, Bartlett has a reasonable share of injuries over the years, but he hopes that the worst will be behind him. At 26, the Speedster now understands his body much better.

“I’ve been really lucky in recent years. Queensland, my state team, took care of me very well, and the Australian team also has a really good plan for me,” said the PBKS man.

“Ca has done me very well in recent years. The fingers crossed that injury life has been left behind, but it is just a part and a package of the fast bowling. Don’t think that a quick bowler has got through unscathed.”

The right arm was closed that, like every single cricket player in Australia, his ultimate dream is to wear the Baggy Green, but his only focus is on helping Punjab kings to go all the way and to raise their first IPL title.

“I think everyone’s dream is to play test cricket for Australia. This is obviously the first goal,” said Bartlett.

“But at the moment I don’t look too far forward. I don’t take anything for granted. We still have 10 games to go into the group phase, and that is my main focus. And after that I will try to continue. Hopefully I can be in and around the mix (for Australia) if I continue.”

Images with friendly approval: Punjab Kings / Ishan Mahal