‘GOAT going after Indian cricket’: Hayden reacts to Lyon’s comments on Jaiswal

Former and current Australian cricketers talking about specific opposition members before a big series is nothing new. It generally revolves around verbal volleys to gain bragging rights well before the first ball of the match is bowled. But with India, it’s a bit different. India is the only team to beat Australia in a Test series in their backyard twice in a row – the last time without their then-captain Virat Kohli and some other key players. As Australia prepare to host India for five Tests for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year, the Aussies have started talking, albeit in a different.
One of the best off-spinner in the world, Nathan Lyon, called Yashasvi Jaiswal a massive challenge for him. “I haven’t come across him [Jaiswal] yet, but that will be a massive challenge for all us bowlers,” Lyon told ESPNCricinfo.
Jaiswal is the youngest member of the Indian batting line-up and has never toured Australia. He has had a great start to his Test career, scoring 1028 runs in only 9 Tests, more than 700 of those came in one series against England. The Australia tour, in many ways will be the biggest challenge of Jaiswal’s short but impressive career so far. That he has already caught the attention of the Aussies is evident.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden saw it as a pressure tactic from Lyon. He said it was the right move from Lyon to put indirect pressure on Jaiswal, given the opening batter is proving himself to be an ‘asset’ for Indian cricket.
“Isn’t it great that the series is shaping up the bare-heavyweight bout, someone like the GOAT (Lyon) going after (Jaiswal), what is in my opinion one of the key assets for Indian cricket. Yes he’s certainly proving to be that,” Hayden said on the sidelines of the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards on Wednesday.
Hayden said while Jaiswal’s ability to hit on the up through covers is special, he will have to adjust given the length of the boundaries in Australia. “Young Jaiswal is an exciting prospect to see how he’ll play. He is a package. His ability in particular to get on the up through the covers is phenomenal. That’ll also have its vulnerabilities,” Hayden said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how he adjusts on bouncy tracks. We did notice in the IPL that he’s a very hard hitter of the ball, pull shots in particular, but that’ll be challenged by three world-class speedsters, assuming they’re all fit and on much bigger grounds.
“It has to almost be the perfect contact for that ball to sail over (for a) six so you can get caught easily, three-quarters of the way in the fence. They (all) have little adjustments that world-class players like Jazzy (Jaiswal) will make for sure,” he said.
India and Australia will play a five-Test series for the first time since 1991-92 starting November 22 at Perth, and Hayden said it will be hard to pick which team has the edge.
“You look at the lineups, and it’s hard to really tell who has the edge. I sense that it’s going to be runs that are going to be the point of difference. Guys that are sure bets have retired, like (Cheteshwar) Pujara was a sure bet in Australian conditions,” he said.
“Was he exciting? No. Was he effective? Heck, yes. When you look back over the years, guys like Raul Dravid, VVS Laxman… they were really sure bets in our market. The best need to stand up in this series, runs are going to be at a premium,” he said.
Hayden said Australian players will be eager to end their barren run against India, having last won a bilateral series in 2014-15.
“We haven’t had it (the trophy) in our hands for two series in Australia, which is kind of the coveted grounds. Not that’s similar to the Steve Waugh era here in 2001, where this was the hallowed turf, this was a place where Australia really wanted to come and win,” he said.”And his great era didn’t do it. There’s always this fantastic opportunity for the No. 1 (and) No. 2 sides on the World Test Championship to go head to head, especially abroad in each other’s camps and see who really has those kinds of final rights…
“…to claim not only the possibility of playing the (World) Test Championship (final) but also who’s the very best of the best, which you judge on how you tour, not so much how you play at home,” he said.