Australia recruit Hussey for Ashes build-up

Published5 hours ago

Australia have recruited Michael Hussey as a long-term batting consultant to help them prepare for the 2027 Ashes and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The 51-year-old former batter has been added to the national staff as Australia look to improve their form in the longest format, having drawn 1-1 at home to Bangladesh and then lost 2-1 in South Africa in their past two series.

Hussey served under Stephen Fleming at Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings and the new England Test coach was interested in adding him to his coaching team.

However, Australia have now moved to secure their former player on a lengthy deal and Hussey will start work with the national side when they face England in a five-game T20 series from 21 November.

In the T20 format he will help his country prepare for the first Olympic cricket competition in 128 years and the 2028 World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand in October and November of the same year.

"I am extremely excited about being a part of the team in a more formal and meaningful role in the coming years," Hussey said in a statement.

"This team has achieved so much in recent times, to which I hope I can add value to the coaching and playing groups ahead of what will be an exciting and challenging period."

Australia have suffered a number of poor red-ball batting performances in the last year, starting when two of last winter's Ashes Tests lasted just two days.

They were bowled out for 198 in August as Bangladesh won their first ever Test in Australia, and were dismissed for 99 and 111 in defeats in the second and third Tests against South Africa.

Following the final England T20 on 2 December, they will start a heavy pre-Ashes Test schedule where they will play New Zealand in home for four matches then travel to India for a five-game series.

They then face England in a one-off Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from 11 March, celebrating 150 years of Test cricket, and could conceivably reach the World Test Championship final at the Oval on 9 June.

The five-match Ashes series runs from 18 June to 2 August, while Hussey will also work with Australia at the ODI World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in October and November 2027.

Hussey did not play Test cricket until he was a 30-year-old, breaking into the Australia side after the 2005 Ashes and becoming an all-format regular until his international retirement in early 2013.

He played 79 Tests for his country, averaging 51.52 with the bat, and featured in 185 ODIs and 38 T20s, winning the 2007 50-over World Cup and the 2006 and 2009 Champions Trophies.

He is the current head coach of Welsh Fire in the men's Hundred and has served as a short-term batting consultant for Australia on a number of occasions in recent years.

Hussey also worked as a batting consultant for England in 2022, helping them win the T20 World Cup in Australia.

"Mike has been a highly valued part of our staff in the past and brings a considerable skill set which is complementary to the coaches and players," Australia coach Andrew McDonald said.

"Not only is his expertise as a player and coach across multiple formats, competitions, countries invaluable, so are his qualities as a person."

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