Well you consider him a FTB in the "Mumbai 2001 to Cairns 2004" era don't you? How does that square with him scoring more than Pakistan X 2 in 50 deg heat against Waqar, Shoaib etc.?
Yes i said he was a FTB between that period. But the corrected his faults of that period with runs @ Oval 05, SA 05/06, IND 07/08 (when the India attack had come off a a good year bowling in SA & ENG), thus retired no longer a FTB.
Which is why i always pick him in my AUS ATXI, since i he showed that key adaptability, that alot of other FTBs in the 2000s era didn't.. Which makes me feel if the post Ashes 05 Hayden would have been a very solid opener if he had to face quality pace bowling consistently. This i have said more than 5+ times in this thread already.
Not that drivel by poster AK that....
But not being an ATG doesn't automatically equal being an FTB. If he still was a FTB, i would have never picked him in AUS ATXI, the same way ATS why i dont pick Sehwag in India's ATXI consistently.
I hope this is last time i have to say this. But based on the form on CW on this thread, but i'm not holding my breath.
Oh also on his hundred in that 2002 test vs PAK in Sharjah. That innings doesn't not fit the criteria of runs againts a good attack on a helpul pitch. Akthar was the only good bowler in that attack & it common cricket knowledge again that Waqar was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy past his test peak in 2002, everyone know his peak was 1990-1994, really that is not a debate. This is an old argument, but explain to me how in 50 degree heat where the batsmen (Hayden) although he scored a good hundred, was struggling for breath. How fast-bowlers was has run up & down would be able to bowl @ full potential. If you actually watched that series & compare how Akhtar was steaming in the previous test @ Colombo when he ran through AUS with that famous spell, he was clearly not bowling with the same steam in Sharjah given the heat.
When Akhtar got Hayden in AUS 2004/05 in some bowler helpul pitches with the ball seaming a bit here or there. He totally exposed Hayden's
then weakness againts inswingers. Which pretty much proves my point.
infinitum.
