5 times Matthew Hayden made an improbable comeback

You've probably heard Matthew Hayden's name in numerous World XIs. I am one who woke up early on countless mornings to watch 'Haydos' bat. Without a doubt, Matthew Hayden is one of the most successful opening batsmen in all formats of the game - having won his country numerous tournaments including two World Cups. But the tough and well-built Haydos is known as much for his mental strength as his physical strength.

The 46-year-old Australian great survived a near-fatal accident this week. The fishing and surfing enthusiast who enjoys a rather laidback country life in his farms at Queensland nearly broke his head (and neck) after he was thrown off the sea to land on the sandback on his head. According to Haydos himself, CT Scans and MRI Reports indicate positive signs and he is on the road to recovery.

However, this is not the first time the tough Queenslander has had to face adversity - mental or physical. It is such adversities that made Hayden the man that he is today - a comeback king with all the laurels an athlete could ask for. While we wish him a speedy recovery, let us have a look at 5 occasions - on and off the field - when Hayden surprised one and all with the way he came back.

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Boat Accident in 2000

Matthew Hayden loves the sea probably as much as the cricket ground.

In an incident many of his fans might still be unaware of, Hayden survived yet another fatal accident roughly 18 years ago. Sailing on a boat with Australia and Queensland teammate Andrew Symonds, the group was jolted when the boat capsized.

Both Australian cricketers, along with another companion, swam more than a kilometre to reach the shore. Had either of them suffered a serious injury - which was highly possible, Australian cricket might not have been the force they were throughout the decade that followed.

His teammates and him suffered a shaky time while fishing a marlin, during their successful 2007 World Cup campaign in the Caribbean, as well.

Breaking through a tough Australian opening slot in 2000-01

Hayden made the opening slot his own, smashing 852 runs in 8 internationals in the 2000-2001 tour of India

If he'd been a bit luckier, Hayden might not have missed the World Cups of 1992, 1996 and 1999. Months before the 1992 World Cup, Hayden smashed 149 on his first-class debut. Although he did not have a serious chance of making it to the World Cup squad, he did indeed manage an ODI debut in England in May 1993.

Although he managed only two fifties in the eleven-month stretch while he was a regular in the one-day side, he was more regular in the Tests in his initial years. However, he was out of either team for three straight years. By 2000, when he made his comeback, Mark Waugh-Adam Gilchrist were settled as Australia's ODI opening pair; and Justin Langer-Michael Slater were doing enough to justify their presence at the top of their Test order.

The 2000-01 tour to India changed things around. Hayden scored a mammoth 549 runs in the three-match Border-Gavaskar Test series, at an average of 109.8, comprising two centuries - including his maiden double hundred. While Australia narrowly lost the Test series, they turned the tables around by winning an ODI series after a long time in India. Hayden was the leading run-scorer in the ODI series too, with 303 runs at 75.75 - including his maiden ODI hundred.

From there on, Hayden established legendary partnerships in Tests and ODI's with Langer and Gilchrist respectively. Both partnerships won more matches than most other pairs in either format. Hayden went on to represent Australia finally in the 2003 World Cup, and ensured his team won it, thanks to a thunderous 100-run opening stand in the final with Adam Gilchrist.

Rise as the top opening batsman after a forgettable England Tour

Matthew Hayden celebrates his first hundred in England, at the Oval in 2005.

After a dream run of three to four years, Hayden's position started being questioned during the VB Series in 2004-05. He was frequently replaced by other openers such as Michael Clarke and Simon Katich during the series but secured his place just in time by scoring a century on their ODI tour to New Zealand.

While Hayden was selected in all formats on their epic tour to England that summer, Hayden disappointed everyone including himself, scoring only one fifty - while chasing a low target against Bangladesh - in 18 international innings on that tour. As Australia suffered a rare low in that decade - not winning the Natwest tri-series and losing the Ashes urn - they decided to make major changes to their team.

Hayden only managed a laboured century on a good batting wicket in his 19th innings on that tour. While that knock could not help Australia retain the Ashes urn, it showed the selectors that he still had the game to continue at the highest level. He secured his place in the Test side, scoring hundreds in all of the next three Test matches for his country as well. His ODI career was thrown into the oblivion though.

Comeback to the ODI side with a bang

Hayden scored 659 runs - the most - in just 10 innings during the 2007 World Cup with 3 centuries at 73.22

Matthew Hayden was out of reckoning from the one-day side for more than a year after an unsuccessful stint during his team's England tour in 2005. Hayden kept performing at the Test level, but like most players, dreamt of winning another World Cup for his team.

He finally got a small window to perform - getting his name in the DLF tri-series squad for Malaysia, albeit missing out on the ICC Champions Trophy squad, which was named at the same time. In his only two outings in that series, he scored 49 and 54. He didn't feature in the final that Australia won, as in the successful Champions Trophy team - wherein Shane Watson was making headlines as the second opener.

Two match-winning knocks during the home Ashes series combined with an injury to Watson and average performances from Simon Katich gave Hayden just the chance he needed before the World Cup. Getting his name on the squad for the long CB Series, Hayden scored 387 runs at 43, including a match-winning hundred and 82 in the first final. He celebrated his World Cup selection with a career-best 181 not out against New Zealand in his last innings before cricket's biggest tournament.

In that innings, however, Hayden injured his toe to a yorker from Mark Gillespie but batted through the innings. While many people did not realize, Hayden batted through the World Cup with an injured foot - running like a hare and managing 659 runs in the tournament. He would have been man of the tournament or should have at least shared the trophy with teammate Glenn McGrath, who took 26 wickets. But he'd be content with the fact that his consistent hitting that included 3 centuries and yet another 100-plus opening stand with Gilchrist in the final - did not give any team a chance.

He scored over 1600 runs in ODI's that year, including five centuries. He was one of the top scorers in the inaugural ICC World T20, almost getting his team to the final. He scored almost 300 runs in the CB series that was played early next year too, which turned out to be his last ODI series ever - along with that of World Cup-winning teammates Adam Gilchrist and Brad Hogg.

Franchise cricket

Matthew Hayden won his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings their first IPL, as well as Champions League.

While Hayden would have been happy having won his team another World Cup, he continued his golden run in Tests, scoring consistently till the India tour in 2008-09. However, a slump in form during the home season - which included zero scores of 40 or more - persuaded him to announce his retirement from international cricket.

The birth of the Indian Premier League added another leaf to Hayden's already stellar career. He was selected for Chennai Super Kings for a three-year term during the tournament's inaugural season - while he was playing actively for Australia in all 3 formats. Hayden, if anything, enjoyed his time in India and in the second season in South Africa, which took place after he had retired from international cricket.

Whether it was his Mongoose bat, comments on some players or his hard-hitting - Hayden did it all - and ensured that his team made it to the semi-finals in all of the first three editions of the tournament (including reaching the final in 2008 and 2010). A steady start along with opening partner Murali Vijay in the 2010 final helped his team lift their maiden IPL title. Hayden repaid his team's faith, also featuring in the Champions League T20 winning team for CSK later that year. While it was CSK's maiden CLT20 title too, Hayden had little role to play - although his presence in the dressing room made a lot of difference, boosting the player's morales.