According to a report, if asked, batting great Matthew Hayden is ready to help Australia solve their batting woes in the ongoing Test series after the visiting side was bamboozled by the Indian spinners in the first two matches.
With Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja taking 32 of the total 40 wickets in the two Tests, Australia suffered heavy losses in Nagpur and New Delhi.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.
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