Legendary Australia Cricketer to go Naked if Joe Root..

In a playful moment that’s quickly gone viral, a former Australian opener made a cheeky bet involving England’s star batter Joe Root ahead of the 2025 Ashes. Speaking on the ‘All Over Bar The Cricket’ YouTube show, he boldly claimed he’d walk nude around the MCG if Root doesn’t score a century during the upcoming series.

The opener is known for his lively personality and fearless opinions, and that Aussie legend is none other than Matthew Hayden. He was clearly backing Root to finally end his long-standing century drought in Australia. The five-match England Tour of Australia for the Ashes is set to kick off on November 21 in Perth, and this statement has added to the excitement around the iconic rivalry.

Matthew Hayden Naked Walk Bet to Prove Embarrassing?

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden is backing Joe Root to finally break his century drought on Australian soil. Root’s form will be a key factor if England hopes to win their first Ashes series away from home since 2011. Hayden was so confident in the English batter’s ability that he even placed a light-hearted bet on Root getting to triple figures.

Speaking on the 'All Over Bar the Cricket' podcast, he joked that he’d do a nude lap around the MCG if Root fails to score a hundred this time around.

England is set to bring their aggressive 'Bazball' approach, led by captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, to Australia’s tough conditions. Root has been in superb form since 2020, but a century in Australia is something which he would want desperately, a milestone that would further cement his place among the greats.

In a humorous twist, Matthew’s daughter, Grace Hayden, joined in on the banter, publicly urging Root to get that hundred, if only to save her the embarrassment of seeing her dad go through with his outrageous bet. This Matthew Hayden Joe Root situation has added an interesting angle to the much-awaited Ashes Tour.

Will England Cause an Upset by Winning the Ashes 2025-26?

England pulling off an Ashes win in Australia would undoubtedly be one of the biggest moments in recent cricket history, and it’s not out of the question. Under the leadership of Ben Stokes and the aggressive influence of Brendon McCullum, England’s new approach to Test cricket has turned heads around the world. With the likes of Joe Root, Harry Brook, and a fit-again Jofra Archer in the mix, they have the firepower to challenge Australia on their own turf.

Joe Root, who turns 35 this December, has an extraordinary Test career. Despite playing 14 Tests across three Ashes tours, Root is yet to reach three figures on Australian soil. He’s managed 892 runs at an average of 35.6 in those matches, including nine half-centuries, but no hundred. That gap stands out in an otherwise world-class record. Since making his debut in 2012, Root has played 158 Tests and scored 13,543 runs at an impressive average of 51.29. With 39 centuries and 66 fifties, he holds the record for the most Test tons by an England player and trails only the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, in all-time Test runs.

However, the task remains incredibly tough. Australia have an impressive record at home and a bowling attack built perfectly for their home turf and actually under any conditions. They have the best Test bowlers in the world like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon, who know how to exploit every inch of home advantage, and England’s past struggles with the bat in these conditions are well-known.