Cynics could suggest it would take a few beers to see any similarities between ex-Test opener Matthew Hayden and unorthodox leftie Phil Hughes.
But Hayden hopes national selectors stick with Hughes after a few cold ones over dinner with old mate Justin Langer this week convinced him there are striking parallels between him and the maligned batsman.
“I had JL over for dinner last night. He’s a huge supporter of Phil Hughes and said exactly that – there’s so many parallels,” Hayden said.
“In fact, he actually said he makes me look like a chump.
“I suppose you have to cop that on the chin from one of your best mates.”
Hayden had to deal with plenty of home truths before finally establishing himself as a Test opener in his now famous 2001 tour of India – seven years after making his debut.
Five years after retiring with 8,625 runs at 50.73 from 103 Tests, the towering Hayden reckons he can now see himself in the diminutive Hughes.
And Hayden reckons the 25-year-old Hughes will have to follow his lead if he wants to finally cement a spot five years after bursting onto the Test scene in 2009 in South Africa – with sheer weight of runs.
“I think AB (former captain Allan Border) really said it when I was going through that (tough) time. You can’t refuse the one attribute you have as a player and that is a mountain of runs,” Hayden said.
“That is your asset. To that end, it’s only a matter of time. And he’s getting better.
“He’s going to have, like everyone, little patches where he goes in and out of form.
“But he’s got 26 first-class hundreds, he’s got three Test hundreds – there’s no doubt he can play.”
Hughes bounced back from last year’s most recent national team dumping by striking two double centuries for Australia A and earning a late recall for the current tri-series in Zimbabwe.
Yet no guarantees were provided by Australian coach Darren Lehmann despite being without his leading one-day openers Shane Watson (injury) and David Warner (paternity leave).
An in-form Hughes still couldn’t make the team for their opening one-dayer against Zimbabwe when captain Michael Clarke (hamstring) pulled out.
He did strike 85 from 92 balls in Australia’s morale boosting ODI win over South Africa on Tuesday.
But he looked all at sea against spin in the shock loss to minnows Zimbabwe – not a good look ahead of their upcoming series in UAE against Pakistan and hosting fellow spin kings India before the 2015 World Cup.
