Greatest test XI of the modern era

#2 Matthew Hayden

Hayden’s destructive batting was a joy for cricket lovers

Matthew Hayden was one of the most vital cogs in the Australian batting lineup during its peak. Although Hayden made his debut in test cricket in 1994, he shot into prominence in the memorable Ind-Aus 2001 series in which he top-scored with 549 runs.

Since then, the runs flowed freely from his bat and he remained a certainty at the top of the order for Australia in both formats of the game.

Physically, Hayden looked domineering with his bulky frame and evoked the same sort of fear with his batting as well. His powerful sweep shots made him a tough nut to crack for the spinners and fetched him great success in the subcontinent. Hayden often charged down the track to pace bowlers to upset their rhythm.

Hayden boasts of a fifty plus batting average (50.73), which is considered the benchmark for batting greatness in the modern era.

When Hayden was well-set, it was very difficult to dislodge him and he would often go on to make a hundred, a fact illustrated by an excellent conversion rate of fifties into hundreds. He is one of a handful of batsmen to have scored more hundreds than fifties in test cricket.

With 30 hundreds and 29 fifties, Hayden’s rate of conversion is one of the best in the modern era.

Adept at playing both pace and spin, Hayden was a nemesis of the bowlers and the southpaw would be an ideal partner for the right-handed Sehwag.