Standing My Ground is the candid, muscular autobiography of Matthew Hayden, one of Australia’s most dominant opening batsmen and a defining figure of modern Test cricket. Co-written with Robert Craddock, the book charts Hayden’s journey from a raw Queensland prodigy to a record-breaking international cricketer, while also exploring the personal battles, controversies, and philosophies that shaped his career.
 
Hayden writes with trademark bluntness about his early struggles to cement a place in the Australian side. Despite obvious talent, his international career began fitfully, marked by technical scrutiny, selection setbacks, and doubts about his temperament. The book details the critical period in the late 1990s when Hayden was repeatedly dropped, forcing him to rebuild his game and mindset—physically, technically, and mentally—at domestic level.
 
A central theme is resilience. Hayden explains how he transformed himself into a powerhouse opening batsman through discipline, fitness, and an unyielding belief in his method. This reinvention culminated in his golden era from the early 2000s, when he became the cornerstone of Australia’s batting lineup. The book offers behind-the-scenes insight into iconic performances, including his then world-record Test score of 380 against Zimbabwe, Ashes campaigns in England and Australia, and Australia’s dominance at home and abroad.
 
Beyond the runs and records, Standing My Ground is notable for its forthright treatment of dressing-room dynamics. Hayden speaks openly about leadership styles, selection politics, and tensions within the Australian team, including his relationships with captains, selectors, and fellow players. His views on sledging, mental warfare, and the ethics of elite sport give the book a sharp, opinionated edge.
 
Hayden also reflects on life away from cricket: family, media pressure, personal values, and the challenge of maintaining identity beyond performance. The later chapters cover his transition out of international cricket and his evolving perspective on success, legacy, and self-belief.
 
Overall, Standing My Ground is not a soft-focus sporting memoir. It is a confident, sometimes confrontational account of elite professionalism, written by a player who never apologised for backing himself—and whose achievements ultimately justified that belief.