Ditching Clothes for a Stroll: Daughter Urges Joe Root to…

Matthew Hayden threatens to ‘walk nude’ if Joe Root doesn’t score 100 in Australia”

Image Caption: Matthew Hayden, Joe Root, and Grace Hayden (Screengrabs/Instagram & AP)

Ex-Australian opening batsman Matthew Hayden initiated a social media sensation with a cheeky claim involving England’s Joe Root ahead of the 2025 Ashes. During an interview on the All Over Bar The Cricket YouTube channel, Hayden stated his confidence in Root ending his wait for a Test century in Australia later this year.

“I will walk nude around the MCG if he doesn’t make a hundred this summer,” said the 52-year-old, generating laughter from fellow commentators and viewers. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more cricket-related content!

Hayden’s audacious statement quickly went viral, with many amused by his characteristic humor. His daughter, sports commentator Grace Hayden, joined in the fun on the show’s Instagram page, urging the English batsman. “Please Joe Root, make a hundred,” she commented, adding more amusement to her father’s daring prediction.

Image Caption: Grace Hayden’s plea to Joe Root on Instagram

Root, turning 35 this December, boasts an impressive Test record but has yet to score a century on Australian turf. In 14 matches across three tours in Australia, he has made 892 runs with an average of 35.6, including nine half-centuries but no hundreds. However, globally, he stands among cricket’s elites. Since his debut in 2012, the right-handed batsman played 158 Tests, accumulating 13,543 runs with an average of 51.29. He has 39 centuries and 66 fifties to his name, making him England’s top century-maker and ranked second to Sachin Tendulkar in total Test runs.

The question now is: “Will Joe Root score his first Test century in Australia in the upcoming Ashes series?”

England is set to commence their Ashes campaign on November 21 in Perth, and while there’s significant focus on Root’s quest for his first century in Australia, Hayden’s promise has guaranteed just as much interest off the field.