Australian Cricket: Hussey Hired for Long-Term Batting Role
The former opener will join the national staff to address recent Test failures ahead of the 2027 Ashes and the 2028 Olympics.
By Nathaniel Hayes ·
Australia has appointed Michael Hussey as a long-term batting consultant to guide the team through the 2027 Ashes series and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The 51-year-old former player will begin his duties when Australia faces England in a five-match T20 series starting November 21.
The hire follows a difficult stretch for Australian batters in the longest format of the game. The team drew 1-1 with Bangladesh at home and then lost 2-1 in South Africa during their last two series. In August, Australia was bowled out for 198 in a loss to Bangladesh, marking the visitors' first Test victory on Australian soil. Against South Africa, the team was dismissed for 99 and 111 in the second and third Tests.
Hussey previously served in a short-term advisory capacity for the national side. He now takes on a more formal role to support both the coaching staff and the playing group. "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.
His immediate focus includes preparing the squad for the first Olympic cricket competition in 128 years. He will also help the team ready itself for the 2028 T20 World Cup, which will be hosted by Australia and New Zealand in October and November of that year.
Coach Andrew McDonald noted that Hussey brings a skill set that complements the current staff. "Not only is his expertise as a player and coach across multiple formats, competitions, countries invaluable, so are his qualities as a person," McDonald said.
Hussey's career includes 79 Test matches with a batting average of 51.52. He debuted at age 30 after the 2005 Ashes and retired in early 2013. He won the 2007 50-over World Cup and the 2006 and 2009 Champions Trophies. Currently, he serves as the head coach for Welsh Fire in the men's Hundred.
The schedule ahead is dense. After the final T20 against England on December 2, Australia will play four home matches against New Zealand and a five-game series in India. A one-off Test against England is scheduled for March 11 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to mark 150 years of Test cricket. The five-match Ashes series will run from June 18 to August 2, followed by the ODI World Cup in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe in late 2027.
