Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra recounted a humorous moment involving Australian legend Matthew Hayden during the 2004 Test series between India and Australia. Chopra described an instance where Hayden attempted to sledge him, even though Chopra wasn’t part of the playing eleven.
On ‘The Cheaky Singles,’ Chopra detailed that Hayden engaged in sledging. When questioned by Chopra, Hayden asked about the pitch conditions, to which Chopra replied that Hayden, as the batsman, should have a better understanding. The exchange ended with Hayden appearing displeased.
Matthew Hayden, a renowned figure in Australian cricket since his debut in 1993, demonstrated exceptional batting skills throughout his career. He set a record with 380 runs against Zimbabwe in 2004. Though, Brian Lara later broke the record with an unbeaten 400 runs. Hayden retired in 2008, completing a career of 103 Tests with 8625 runs, including 30 centuries. He also had a significant impact in white-ball cricket, scoring 6133 runs in 161 ODIs and 308 runs in 8 T20s.
Grace Hayden, Matthew Hayden’s daughter, is an anchor for the Delhi Premier League 2025 and has been involved with Star Sports during the Indian Premier League. She is also friends with Sachin Tendulkar’s daughter. When asked about her favourite Indian cricketer, Grace Hayden chose Virat Kohli.
Both Hayden and Chopra transitioned into successful commentary careers after retiring from international cricket. Chopra also maintains a YouTube channel, where he discusses cricketing performances. Aakash Chopra played 10 Tests for India, scoring 437 runs with an average of 23, including two half-centuries.