New Delhi, Feb 21: Batting great Matthew Hayden is ready to help Australia solve their batting woes in the ongoing Test series if asked after the visiting side was bamboozled by the Indian spinners in the first two matches, according to a report.
Australia suffered heavy losses in Nagpur and New Delhi with Indian spinners, led by Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, scalping 32 of the total 40 wickets in the two Tests.
Hayden, commentating on the series for host broadcaster Star Sports, said he would happily put his hand up to help Australia’s debacle against Indian spinners and he would do it for nothing.
“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,” Hayden was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald.
“Any time I have been asked to do anything I’ve always said yes at any time of day,” said the 51-year-old left-handed batter.
Former captain Michael Clarke has called for the visiting team management to use the expertise of Hayden, who had averaged 110 in the epic 2001 tour under Steve Waugh and was also part of the triumphant Adam Gilchrist-led team in 2004 – the only Australia side to win a Test series in India since 1969.
Hayden said he would “definitely not” charge Cricket Australia for his time with the Australian team but wanted the governing body to give current players access to the previous generation.
“You can’t alienate them (former players). If you want the creme de la creme, the very least you can do is respect them. There should be a system if you’re in the CA role, how do we get the intellectual property in our players? That’s the key,” he said.
He pointed out India batter Shreyas Iyer’s close relationship with Ricky Ponting during their time together at IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, and Matthew Mott’s role in England’s T20 World Cup triumph to highlight how other countries are using the best of Australia’s coaching talent.
Hayden, who scored 8625 runs from 103 Tests between 1994 and 2009 at an average of 50.73, said he sympathises with coach Andrew McDonald, as teams no longer have the time for extensive preparation for tours.
“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,” Hayden said.
“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.
“Part of that tenure would be, ‘what do we want to win fellas?’ Because if it’s India we know what it takes to win there.” McDonald has said he would be open to Hayden coming into the fold if players wanted to use him on top of their existing coaching staff.
“If Matthew can add value to individual players, I’m sure those individual players would definitely engage in a conversation with him,” the coach said.
McDonald had defended the side’s preparation for the series in India, saying that they would not have changed what they did in the lead-up.
The coach also offered a cheeky backhander to Hayden for his criticism of the team’s overuse of the sweep shot. Hayden had used a broom in a Star Sports segment to colourfully make the point.
“Did he succeed sweeping as well?” McDonald said.
“Just throwing the question out there as well.” India have retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after taking unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series.
The third Test begins in Indore on March 1. (PTI)
