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Hayden wants KL Rahul and not Rohit Sharma to open for India in the third Test against Australia, which is set to start on December 14 in Brisbane.
Matthew Hayden wants KL Rahul to open for India in 3rd Test. (Picture Credit: Screengrab)
Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden’s hilarious gaffe on live television left Indian great Sunil Gavaskar in splits. While analysing India’s loss in the pink-ball Test against Australia, Hayden fumbled and said he wants Rahul Dravid instead of KL Rahul to start for India during the third Test of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The remark came after Gavaskar suggested Rohit should return to his original opening spot during the upcoming clash at The Gabba.
Hayden disagreed with his co-broadcaster, insisting that India should stick with Rahul at the top. “From what I saw in Perth, technically, Rahul Dravid [KL Rahul] is right there. He just needs to do it for longer.” Hayden said.
Just when Hayden finished his analysis, Gavaskar teased the Australia icon and said, “I would love it if it was Rahul Dravid, as you said, but it is KL Rahul.”
Hayden instantly realised his mistake as he chuckled and said that Dravid’s centuries at the Adelaide Oval were still haunting him.
“Sorry, KL Rahul. My apologies. I was thinking of when he dominated here in Adelaide and got us smashed in the 2003/04 series. That’s a nightmare I’m still living.” Hayden said.
The hilarious conversation began with Gavaskar suggesting that India should return to their traditional lineup where Rohit opens the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“I think he should come back to opening for the next Test because he likes the ball to come onto the bat. This innings, one can understand, because he hadn’t played for a while, and Rahul and Jaiswal had a 200-run partnership in the previous game. But Rahul can come down the order and face the second new ball. I’m being optimistic that India will bat so well in the next game that Rahul will take care of the second new ball,” Gavaskar said.
Hayden, on the other hand, felt that India should not switch positions mid-series.
“I’ll be slightly more stubborn. I will not be changing at this stage. I know you would like a better outcome inside the top three,” he said.
Starting Rahul alongside Jaiswal did wonders for India in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. The duo added 201 runs for the first wicket in the second innings, and it paved the way for a dominant 295-run victory.
The opening duo failed to replicate a similar show in Adelaide as the two-time World Test Championship finalists lost by 10 wickets.
