Australia’s Hussey open to England Test coaching role for Ashes series
Hussey Considers England Coaching Opportunity
Former Australia Test cricketer Mike Hussey is considering an informal offer to join England‘s coaching staff as their batting coach for the upcoming Ashes series next year. The approach came from Stephen Fleming, England‘s new red-ball coach, with whom Hussey shares a long-standing professional relationship.
The two have been teammates and coaches at the Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings for 15 years. Hussey, known as “Mr Cricket” for his technical expertise and deep understanding of the game, recently returned home after coaching Welsh Fire in The Hundred.
Hussey acknowledged that he has not yet given the offer full consideration, stating, “To be honest, I have not been able to give it any thought whatsoever.” He expressed his general openness to coaching opportunities, adding, “I wouldn’t say never to anything really. I just love the coaching side of the game, and just to be able to work with different players.”
The prospect of coaching England against his home country in the Ashes series presents a unique situation for Hussey. He admitted that such a role would “feel a bit weird,” recalling a similar experience when he previously worked with England.
“I have worked with England once before at the T20 World Cup (in 2022), and I must admit it did feel very weird pulling on that training shirt for the first time,” Hussey explained. However, he noted that once immersed in the coaching process, the team affiliation becomes less prominent. “But once you get in the nets and you start working with players, you sort of almost forget what shirt you’ve got on.”
The Fleming Connection and Potential Impact
The informal offer from Fleming stems from their close association at Chennai Super Kings. Fleming, who took over as England coach in late July after Brendon McCullum‘s departure from the red-ball role, made a “passing comment” to Hussey about the batting coach position.
Hussey highlighted his close relationship with Fleming as a factor in his consideration, but also mentioned the significant commitment involved. “I won’t be rushing into a decision. I have a very close relationship with Stephen Fleming and that has an impact on it as well. The time away from family is a real thing for me.”
Should Hussey accept the role, it would place him in a position to strategize against Australia when they tour England for the Ashes series next year. England will host Australia in the Ashes during June, July, and August next year, aiming to reclaim the urn for the first time since 2015.
Hussey also shared his views on Fleming‘s coaching style, suggesting that Fleming is a “shrewd operator” who understands the game well. He believes Fleming will bring a balanced approach to England‘s Test cricket, moving away from a potentially reckless style while maintaining an attacking intent.
“He has a very good understanding of the game,” Hussey said of Fleming. “Very shrewd operator who gets that balance between enjoyment and fun and relationships.” He added that Fleming “wants to keep the game moving forward but perhaps not as recklessly as England have been recently. He will try and be a bit smarter with it.”
Hussey‘s previous experience with England, including their T20 World Cup victory in 2022, demonstrates his capability in an international coaching setup. He scored 6,235 runs for Australia in 79 Tests during his playing career.
While the decision is not immediate, Hussey‘s openness to the role suggests a significant development for England‘s coaching staff as they prepare for the upcoming Ashes series.
Source: aljazeera.com
