Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden says Michael Clarke once threatened to hand back his baggy green cap if he was made to stand at bat-pad.

With specialist bat-pad fieldsman Justin Langer unable to field because of head injuries, the Australians looked to Clarke to fill in.

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But Clarke refused, threatening to hand back his cherished cap.

“I’ll never forget the day that Justin Langer couldn’t go bat-pad because he had head injuries,’’ Hayden said on Triple M radio.

“We needed someone and usually it goes to the youngest in the side.

”He (Clarke) said – “If I have to wear that, I will hand my baggy green back.”

Hayden said Clarke was always headstrong, even as a young man.

”The thing is it’s an indictment on Michael. But it’s in context of this conversation to say that he knew that he didn’t want to do that, he was skilful in other places,” he said.

”But in hindsight we should have said mate that’s exactly what will happen, we will have your baggy green back and that’s the way it will roll.

“But he learnt from that, he became a much better person and a much better player through those lessons.’’

“Michael always had really strong opinions and when you’ve got strong opinions and you’re a young fella in the group, he would polarise people.

“He had a hot head, he wore his heart on his sleeve and he had a very definite opinion of who he was and where he wanted to go.

“Sometimes those (Clarke’s opinions) ruffled feathers, I know for a fact that they ruffled mine at times.”