Relief for Hayden family! Here's what Grace Hayden said after Root's ton

Matthew Hayden congratulated Root for his maiden Test ton in Australia after stumps on Day 1. Check what his daughter, Grace Hayden said in her Instagram story

The Ashes is nothing less than a summer carnival for cricket fans of England and Australia. However, there was one particular Aussie family who was more invested in the series than any other, i.e., the Hayden family of former Aussie opener Matthew Hayden. On Thursday, during Day 1 of the second Ashes Test, Joe Root scored his first Test ton on Australian soil in Brisbane, practically saving the Haydens from an embarrassing moment.

 

Notably, ahead of the start of The Ashes 2025–26, Matthew Hayden made a statement that he would run around the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) naked if Root failed to score a ton in Australia this summer, after which his daughter and sports presenter Grace Hayden also requested Root to reach the three-digit mark. On Thursday, when Root finally achieved his first Test ton in Australia, Grace Hayden took to Instagram and shared a story with the quote, “Root, thank you — you’ve saved all our eyes.”

 

 

Check Grace Hayden’s Instagram story here:

 

Grace Hayden

I was backing you for hundred in a good way: Hayden

Matthew Hayden extended his congratulations to Joe Root after the England batter finally registered his maiden Test century on Australian soil during Day 1 of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane on Thursday.

 

Before the start of the Ashes, the former Australia opener — now a commentator — had jokingly claimed that he would “walk around naked” if Root went through the series without scoring a hundred. Root put that light-hearted remark to rest with a composed hundred in the pink-ball Test at the Gabba.

 

In a video shared by England Cricket on X, Hayden expressed relief and praised Root’s effort. He said he had backed Root to reach the milestone and noted that it had taken several fifties before the batter finally brought up a hundred in Australia. Hayden added that Root should enjoy the achievement, referring to it as a well-deserved moment.  Check the post here: 

???? (1) ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????@HaydosTweets has something he'd like to say to Joe Root ???? pic.twitter.com/0yPGk7JC5S

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 4, 2025

Root century saved another English collapse

Root’s century in Brisbane was a sigh of relief not just for the Hayden family but for the English side as well, as he saved his team from yet another batting collapse after the two-day Perth mayhem. Root walked out to bat when the team was struggling at 5 for 2 and remained not out till the end of the day, taking England’s total to 325 for 9 and his personal total to 135 not out. He added 117 runs for the third wicket with Zak Crawley (76), 54 runs for the fourth wicket with Harry Brook (31), 40 runs for the seventh wicket with Will Jacks (19), and finally an unbeaten 61 for the 10th wicket with Jofra Archer (29 not out).  2nd Ashes Test 2025: Australia vs England 2nd Test Day 1 highlights