Former Australian captain Allan Border has advised the Australian batter Travis Head to learn from Matthew Hayden if he wants to score runs in Asia.
The middle-order batter seemed to have revived his Test career after his stupendous performance in the Ashes 2021-22. He was the leading run-scorer of the series scoring 357 runs in six innings at an average of 59.50 with 2 hundreds and a fifty to his name. However, the southpaw failed to replicate his performance in the subsequent series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka as he struggled to counter the spin on sub-continent pitches.
“Travis Head needs to see how Matthew Hayden batted in India in 2001. There are a few basic things that a batsman needs to do while playing spin. First of all, use your feet because unless and until you use your feet and get to the pitch of the ball to either hit the ball or smother the spin, the bowler won’t be forced to change his length,” Border said in a conversation with cricket.com.au.
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden was a terrific player of spin in his playing days. The left-handed batter has scored 1,663 batting in Asia at a brilliant average of 50.39. Hayden unleashed his beast mode on India when he hammered 549 runs at an average of 109.80 in six innings of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2001.
“Hayden is a great example. You are talking about a kid who batted on the Gabba five games a year, then the WACA … Sydney (the SCG pitch) turned, that was the only place that really (gave you a chance to bat) against a spin bowler,” Border added.
India and Australia will lock horns in a four-match Test series next year. Australia will be desperately looking to win in India after India thrashed them in their own backyard in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 series. The series will be immensely important for both teams keeping in mind the qualification for the WTC finals. Australia are currently placed at the second position in the standings while India are placed fourth.
