Parthiv Patel, the former India wicketkeeper, has recounted an incident from 2004 when, during India’s tour of Australia, Matthew Hayden threatened to punch him in the face if he ever tried sledging him again.
Patel, who became Test cricket’s youngest wicketkeeper after making his debut as a 17-year-old in 2002, was carrying drinks in Brisbane during the VB series in January 2004, when he sledged Hayden as he was walking back after being dismissed by Irfan Pathan for 109.
Hayden didn’t take that too well. “I was carrying drinks in Brisbane,” Parthiv said in the YouTube show 100 Hours, 100 Stars, an initiative by Fever Digital to celebrate Covid-19 heroes. “It was the match in which Irfan had got him out. He had already scored a hundred, and it was a crucial stage when Irfan got him out. And I was just passing him by, and I did a ‘hoo-hoo’ to him.
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]
“He got so angry at me. He was standing at the Brisbane dressing room, which is like a tunnel. He was standing there, and he said, ‘If you do this again, I will punch your face’. I said ‘sorry’, [and] I stood around and he went off.”
However, they became good friends a few years later, when they were both openers at Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. So much that, Hayden even had Parthiv over for biriyani and dal.
Matthew Hayden picks out a set of defining performances from his illustrious career.https://t.co/S6lJctPQ4Y
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) April 11, 2020
“Hayden wanted to beat me up in Brisbane. But we became good friends after that, and played a lot of cricket together at CSK,” said Parthiv. “Also, we enjoyed each other’s company. Opening the batting was fun with him. We’ve had good times off the field as well. So we patched up after that Brisbane incident.
“Even after the IPL finished, I went to Australia with an emerging side. Hayden called me home, prepared chicken biryani and dal for me.”
