Mathew Hayden and Greatness

Mathew Hayden and Greatness (or his apparent perception of the lack of it) - could probably be the reason why this great Australian opening batsman regularly makes media comments which are either blatantly wrong or are done only to invite attention.

There is something wrong with Mathew Hayden, an all time great in his own right with the bat in his hand but the complete opposite when he talks to the media. Look at his recent comments in reverse chronological order

- India is a third world country leading to misorganization (probably his reason for Australia loosing the 2008 India series)

- I have the better of Zaheer Khan (well, a few third ball dismissals lately help his cause greatly)

- Harbhajan is an obnoxious weed (blah blah blah)

- Ishant should meet him in the boxing ring (that is what he can do if he cannot play the bowler)

- And numerous others such innane comments.

Mathew Hayden, given his record, would have been any nation's icon and the cricketing focus, if he had not played for Australia. Playing for Australia meant that his greatness and media attention is shared and more importantly  dominated by  other greats. Starting from Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Glenn Mc Grath and now Ricky Ponting, all these Aussies always rank ahead of Hayden. While Steve Waugh will be heralded as the best captain, Gilchrist the best ODI player ever, Shane Warne the best spinner ever, Mc Grath the best paceman, Ricky Ponting has taken acclaims for being the best test batsman for the last few years.

Where does this leave Hayden?

He is, and probably will be, remembered as a great opener who was a part of the great Australian test team. His name will be remembered as a part of a cricket folklore but never as a folklore itself. Imagine him playing his career in isolation, the adulation, the attention, the accolades which he could have achieved? In reality, his achievements have always been overshadowed by other dominant events\cricketers:

- He played out of his skin in the 2001 series against India, the series remembered as Laxman's and Harbhajan's and the series where the final frontier was not conquered.

- He played his part in Australia winning the 2003 WC, but Ricky Ponting took the spoils in terms of Australian batting.

- He played his part in Australia winning the 2007 WC, be=being the highest run scorer, but Glenn McGrath took the Player of the Series award.

- He played his part as a dominant opener in the successful Australian ODI team, but Adam Gilchrist, his opening partner,  was voted the best Australian ODI player ever.

- He was the highest run scorer in the T20 WC, but Dhoni's team took the cake there.

- He had huge contributions in all Ashes victories, but Shane Warne always took the limelight.

- Ricky Ponting has been Australia's premier Test batsmen for the last 5-10 years and Hayden has been the second best.

- When the final frontier was finally conquered by Ponting's men, Hayden had a poor series by his standards.

All these indicate that Hayden has always ended up as the bridesmaid throughout his career, his limelight either taken by his Aussie counterparts or by the Indian Cricket team. He cannot rant againt his teammates and so he follows the next logical step, rants against the Indian Cricket team, and now India as a country in general, just to get his part of the attention, which he, truly and thoroughly, deserves.