Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden criticized Rohit Sharma’s team for their poor performance in the recent series against New Zealand where India suffered a 0-3 whitewash. Hayden called the defeat a much-needed “kick” for the team ahead of the five-match Test series against Australia.
India’s recent losses have added pressure, as the team risks missing out on the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final. The defeat marked India’s first home Test series loss in 12 years and their first-ever whitewash in a three-match home Test series.
Matthew Hayden described the loss as a wake-up call for the team. He acknowledged their poor performance but said it could help them prepare better for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“It’s probably the kick up the a*se that India need,” Hayden said as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald. “Even though India copped a drubbing … the fact that they’ve played long-format cricket is an advantage from a preparation point of view,” he added.
India will face Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting November 22 in Perth. Skipper Rohit Sharma will miss the first Test, further complicating India’s chances.
The team’s batting struggled in the series against New Zealand, with key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failing to perform. India will aim to improve their batting in Australia.
Hayden also commented on Australia’s challenges, saying it’s hard to find a replacement for David Warner at the top of the batting order. He urged patience with young player Nathan McSweeney. And he also predicted a 3-1 result for BGT in Australia’s favour.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s almost impossible to replace David Warner … It’s crazy to think it’s just going to be sunshine. Test cricket is mostly hailing, especially at the top,” Hayden said.
He reminded fans that many greats, including Steve Waugh and Sir Donald Bradman, had slow starts to their Test careers. Hayden emphasized that the upcoming summer of cricket would be tough for both teams.
