Mike Hussey joins Australia cricket team as consultant coach

Former Australia batter Mike Hussey has returned to the national men's team as a consultant coach. Cricket Australia confirmed the appointment ahead of the squad's upcoming T20 series against England.

Role And Tournaments

The 51-year-old will also assist the team during the home Test series against New Zealand. According to BBC Sport, he has been brought in on a long-term basis to help fix batting struggles in the longest format, following recent series losses to Bangladesh and South Africa. He will also serve as a T20 advisor for upcoming major events. These include the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, marking the return of cricket after 128 years, and the T20 World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. His schedule further includes the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, alongside the 2027 Ashes series.

Background And Career

Hussey recently ended a long stint as batting coach for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. He previously worked in informal coaching roles with the Australian team during training sessions in Perth prior to Test series against England, India and Pakistan. During his playing career, the Hall of Famer featured in 302 international matches across all formats between 2005 and 2013. His achievements include winning the 2007 ODI World Cup and playing a key role in the 2010 T20 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan. Both head coach Andrew McDonald and Hussey expressed enthusiasm for the new role.

Context

Consultant coaching roles are common in modern international cricket, allowing teams to bring in former greats for specialized short-term or tournament-specific guidance. Australia's recent red-ball batting issues created an urgent need for extra batting expertise within the national coaching setup. Hussey also previously served as a batting consultant for England during their 2022 T20 World Cup victory.