In a light-hearted moment that has since gone viral, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden made a bold and cheeky prediction about Joe Root ahead of the Ashes 2025, claiming he would walk nude around the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) if the England star fails to score a century in the upcoming series.
Matthew Hayden’s daughter Grace(Grace Hayden Instagram)
The legendary opener, known for his larger-than-life persona both on and off the field, made the remark during a discussion on the ‘All Over Bar The Cricket’ YouTube channel. With England set to tour Australia for a five-match Ashes series starting November 21 in Perth, Hayden was confident that Root would finally break his century drought on Australian soil.
“I will walk nude around the MCG if he doesn’t make a hundred this summer,” Hayden said, drawing laughter from the panel and viewers alike.
Grace Hayden’s comment, begging Joe Root to score a century
The comment sparked a wave of reactions, including from Hayden’s daughter, sports presenter Grace Hayden. Taking to the show’s Instagram account, Grace almost begged Joe Root to save her from the embarrassment of witnessing her father’s stunt. “Please Joe Root, make a hundred,” she wrote in the comments, prompting more chuckles online.
Root, 34, has long been considered one of the modern greats of Test cricket. Yet, despite his formidable record, a century in Australia has eluded him. In 14 Tests Down Under, the right-hander has scored 892 runs at an average of 35.6, with nine fifties but no three-figure score — a surprising gap in an otherwise glittering resume.
Overall, Root has featured in 134 Tests since making his debut against India in December 2012. He has scored 13,543 runs in 288 innings at an average of 51.29, making him the second-highest run-getter in Test history behind India’s Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs). With 30 centuries and 69 half-centuries, Root is England’s all-time leading Test centurion and ranks fourth globally in that category.
Notably, Root’s numbers have seen a significant uptick since the start of 2021. In 61 Tests during this period, he has scored 5,720 runs at an average of 56.63, including 22 centuries and 17 fifties — the best conversion rate of his career.
As the Ashes returns to Australian soil, Root will be desperate to add that missing century and silence the one remaining criticism of his record. Whether he does or not, all eyes will be on both Root’s bat and Hayden’s wardrobe choices at the MCG this summer.