Gilchrist believes Hayden will play the Ashes

Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist believes that opening batsman Matthew Hayden will be fit enough to battle it out in the Ashes next year against England.

Hayden played 86 consecutive Tests till early this year when he was forced to miss out on the Test at Perth versus India on account of an injury. His consistent record till then marked him as number seven on the list of players to play the most consecutive Tests without a break.

But over the last few months, persistent foot injuries have forced Hayden out of international cricket, the most recent instance being his withdrawal from the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh which begins tomorrow in order to rest his Achilles tendon injury.

But Gilchrist clearly believes his former teammate has it in him to go on to the next Ashes which will commence in May 2009.

"I think he has the desire to get there and I wouldn't back against him," Gilchrist was quoted as saying to the Melbourne Herald Sun.

“If he wants to achieve something, he can almost get narrow-minded about it. Not in an arrogant or disrespectful sense, but he can focus in on it. That's what he does. He tends to be able to realize if he focuses on his role, that's going to be to the team's greatest benefit," he added.

Gilchrist knows exactly what he’s talking about as during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, Hayden actually played with a broken foot.

After the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) that concluded in June this year, Hayden hurt his Achilles tendon and did not make a recovery in time for his side’s series against the West Indies in the Caribbean. The Bangladesh series at home will be Hayden’s second consecutive series miss.

But Gilchrist, who retired from all forms of international cricket earlier this year, believes that Hayden is taking the right approach of giving himself time to heal.

"I would say he is doing that (giving his injury time to heal) because he sees he has a reasonable amount of time left in the game, otherwise I don't think he would be investing all the time and effort into it to get it right."

Although his record in and against England is not as impressive as his overall career statistics, Hayden’s experience will prove invaluable if Australia has to retain the Ashes. Hayden has already played three Ashes contests and May 2009 could well mark his fourth.