Former Australian Test opener Matthew Hayden will come out of retirement to play for Brisbane Heat in the Twenty20 Big Bash next summer, the team said Monday. The 39-year-old, who retired from international cricket in 2009 after a 103-Test career, last played in the 2010 Indian Premier League with Chennai. But Heat coach Darren Lehmann, a former Test team-mate of Hayden, said he was ready to return.
"He's been training for a few months now so we're excited to have that knowledge around the place," Lehmann told reporters. Hayden's return means he has to relinquish directorships of the Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket boards, as current players are not allowed to have both roles. Hayden will play alongside former New Zealand captain Daniel in the Heat team.