"One hundred per cent" - Matthew Hayden ready to assist Australian batters in overcoming spin woes
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has offered his services to the national team to address their woes with playing spin. The Queenslander said he was fully in if Cricket Australia wanted him.
The Indian spin-bowling pair of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have haunted Australia in both Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavasker Trophy series, taking heaps of wickets. The duo bundled the tourists out for 91 and 113 in the second innings in Nagpur and Delhi to win the Tests.
Speaking to The Age, Hayden suggested that his presence could positively influence the national team, stating:
"One hundred per cent, at any time of the day or night, it is a given that myself - and I’m sure I speak for anyone else that I represent that would have that kind of influence - would 100 per cent be in. Any time I have been asked to do anything I’ve always said yes at any time of the day."
The 51-year-old, working as a commentator for Star Sports, boasts of a healthy Test record in India, averaging 51.35 in 11 Tests with two centuries and five fifties. He was also instrumental in Australia's Test series win in India in 2004.
"This is where I really don’t envy the role of Andrew McDonald" - Matthew Hayden emphathizes with head coach
Hayden sympathized with Andrew McDonald's role as head coach, stating that teams no longer have extensive time to prepare for tours due to the franchise tournaments.
"It’s not possible because a week before we came over here everyone was screaming bloody murder about their superstars not playing the Big Bash League – and yet they’ve got a Test match nine days later. This is where I really don’t envy the role of Andrew McDonald. He has to work out what is the priority in terms of his playing group of which he has zero per cent control over a two-month period because of IPL."
With no hope left of reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia will look to salvage pride in the remaining two Tests of the series.