Cricket has always been about big personalities, and the latest Ashes 2025-26 build-up is no different. Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has made a massive, and hilarious, promise regarding Joe Root‘s performance, putting the English batter in the spotlight. This has now drawn a public reaction from his own daughter, Grace Hayden, and rekindled the discussion around Root’s unique record in Australia, setting the stage for a dramatic series.
Matthew Hayden’s outlandish Ashes 2025-26 prophecy
In a recent discussion on the ‘All Over Bar The Cricket’ YouTube channel, former Australian opener Hayden issued a bold and rather comical challenge to England’s star batsman, Root. Hayden, known for his no-nonsense approach and larger-than-life character, made a prophecy that has now gone viral, putting a personal stake on the line for himself.
Without any hesitation, he declared with confidence that he would make a spectacle of himself if Root failed to perform. He publicly stated, “I’ll walk nude around the MCG if he doesn’t make a hundred this summer,” This audacious claim has added a new layer of intrigue and personal humor to the upcoming Ashes 2025, which is set to begin in Perth on November 21. Hayden’s hilarious promise, shared widely across social media, has not only amplified the hype for the series but also put the spotlight squarely on Root’s highly anticipated performance Down Under.
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Grace Hayden’s public plea from England’s Joe Root
The controversy took a personal turn when Hayden’s own daughter, Grace, a sports presenter, responded to her father’s bold declaration. As a professional who works in the media, Grace has a unique position from which to witness her father’s commentary and the public’s reaction. She took to the ‘All Over Bar The Cricket’ Instagram account and made a direct and light-hearted plea to Root. Her comment, which was shared publicly, read, “Please @root66 make a hundred,”
Grace’s involvement highlights her career in the sports industry, where she is making a name for herself as a cricket journalist and presenter. The source text also reveals that Grace has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. By making a public request to Root, Grace Hayden has humorously placed herself in the middle of a major cricketing debate, showcasing her quick wit while also demonstrating her passion for the sport and her relationship with her famous father.
Root’s quest for an elusive Australian Ashes century
Hayden’s hilarious promise is rooted in a surprising fact about Joe Root’s exceptional career: his inability to score a Test century on Australian soil. Despite his status as one of the greatest Test batter of all time and the second-highest run-scorer in the format’s history, Root has never achieved the milestone Down Under.
In 14 matches played in Australia, the English talisman has scored 892 runs at an average of 35.68. While he has registered nine fifties, a century has remained elusive. This is a stark contrast to his overall record against Australia, where he has four centuries, and his career record of 39 hundreds. Root, who has been in sensational form since 2021 with 22 centuries in that period, will be eager to correct this anomaly in the Ashes 2025 and add a century on Australian soil to his illustrious resume, thereby saving Hayden from his promise.
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