'Bad Choice': Matthew Hayden Slams Rohit Sharma For Toss Decision, Backs Australia To Win Gabba & Series

Photo : AP
Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden has said that he is backing his side to win the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy because of the decision made by India skipper Rohit Sharma at the toss. Local hero Usman Khawaja and young Nathan McSweeney displayed sound defensive technique against ace India pacer Jasprit Bumrah but persistent rain played havoc on the opening day of the third Test.
Speaking on a segment for Channel 7 in Australia, Hayden made his thoughts on the matter clear, stating that he believed India were already behind in the match after the decision made by Rohit at the toss.
The gloomy weather did not permit any action after the rain-curtailed first session. The weather in Brisbane indicates a start-stop match throughout the next four days.
"I’m buying Australia [to win the series]. I’m buying them in this Test. I’m buying at the toss, the fact that the captain of India, I felt, made a bad choice at the toss. This is a very good batting wicket, batting here is always so damn good in the first three days," Hayden said.
The former Australia cricketer added that the third Test might turn out to be the decisive one, with Australia predicted to put up a brilliant front in Melbourne and while India might have a chance in Sydney, the final game of the series might turn out to be a dead rubber.
“This Test will set up the rest of the series, where they will probably come back into their own a little bit, in particular in Sydney. But this Test and Melbourne, there’s not an Aussie on the planet who doesn’t love the Boxing Day Test," Hayden said.
Khawaja (19 batting, 47 balls) and McSweeney (4 batting, 33 balls) traded aggression with caution but the former still got a couple of fours when Mohammed Siraj pitched it short.
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