'Probably The Kick Up': Matthew Hayden Bluntly Insults India Ahead Of The First Border-Gavaskar Test

IND vs AUS 1st Test: Australia are showing signs of desperation to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this time around. It has been almost a decade that the hosts have missed out on the prestigious Border-Gavaskar silverware and they do want to reverse their fortunes this time around. Adding all the spice to the India vs Australia Test series, the former Aussie players have been taking various jibes at the visitors in their attempt to pressurize them.

India recently lost a home Test series against New Zealand. The Kiwis clean swept India 3-0 which also dented their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals. After a rare and almost unthinkable series loss at home, India are under a lot of pressure and they are eyeing redemption Down Under against Australia who will have their tail up, solely because they have the home advantage.

Matthew Hayden's Ugly Jibe At India

The Australian media has a reputation of pressurizing visiting teams in the middle of a series. This time around, Australian greats such as Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath, David Hussey and others have been pretty active with their take on a struggling Team India. Following the trend, now former Chennai Super Kings and Australian opener Matthew Hayden too has provided his take on India's current form and how he thinks the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will pan out.

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'It’s probably the kick up the a*se that India need. India were lightweight in terms of their own performance. The fact that they've played long format cricket is an advantage from a preparational point of view', said Hayden as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald.

India Grappling With Injury Issues

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India have plenty of issues to address of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test. They are without their regular Test skipper Rohit Sharma and might possibly be led by Jasprit Bumrah in the series opener. It is now being said that Shubman Gill might miss the first Test match due to an injury to his thumb. If Gill misses out, it will be a huge setback to India, even before the series starts.