In a funny moment amid the buildup to Ashes 2025, former Australian batting legend Matthew Hayden made a bold prediction. During the All Over Bar The Cricket podcast show, he claimed that England’s Joe Root, despite being one of the modern greats, has never scored a Test century in Australia.
The legendary Australian batter jokingly said that if Root doesn’t break that drought during the upcoming series, he would walk nude around the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “I will walk nude around the MCG if he (Root) doesn't make a hundred this summer,” said Hayden, which drew laughter from cricket fans and fellow players alike.
The remark didn’t go unnoticed at home. Hayden’s daughter, Grace Hayden, took to Instagram to respond, begging Joe Root to save her from the “embarrassment” of watching her father follow through on his dare. Her comment, “Please Joe Root, make a hundred,” quickly went viral and plenty of people found it hilarious.
Image: All Over Bar The Cricket/Instagram
The joke isn’t totally groundless. In 14 Test matches in Australia, Joe Root has played well, scoring 892 runs at an average of about 35.6, but has never converted a fifty into a hundred on Australian soil.
'It's August! At Least Let Us Land': Stuart Broad Fires Humorous Reply To Glenn McGrath's Bold '5-0' Ashes Prediction
Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad took to social media with a lighthearted response to Australian legend Glenn McGrath’s bold Ashes prediction. Posting on X, Broad wrote, “It’s August!! At least let us land Glenn!” in reaction to McGrath forecasting a dominant 5-0 win for Australia in the upcoming Ashes series.
The latest chapter in the long-running England–Australia cricket banter began when McGrath, in an interview, admitted it was unusual for him to make predictions but couldn’t see past a clean sweep for Australia. “It’s very rare for me to make a prediction, isn't it? And I can’t make a different one: 5-0,” said the former pace great, backing his country to dominate the series.
The 2025–26 Ashes is set to get underway in November in Australia, but McGrath’s early call has already stirred friendly rivalry between the cricketing nations. Broad, known for his sharp wit both on and off the field, used humour to remind McGrath that the series is still months away, adding to the build-up and excitement among fans.
The exchange is another reminder of how the Ashes rivalry thrives not only on the pitch but also in the war of words that precedes it, ensuring cricket fans have plenty to talk about long before the first ball is bowled.
