Australia Appoint Mike Hussey as Consultant for Ashes and World Cup

The Australian cricket setup has secured the services of former international batsman Mike Hussey as a consultant coach for several major upcoming fixtures, including next year's Ashes series against England and the 2027 Cricket World Cup. Earlier in the year, Hussey had been approached by England's new red-ball coach to act as their Test batting mentor, but the veteran declined the offer in order to assist his home country.

Australia recently suffered a 2-1 Test series defeat in South Africa, prompting efforts to address a batting crisis within the squad. Hussey, famously known as Mr Cricket due to his exceptional technical expertise, will immediately begin providing coaching assistance. His initial duties include a home T20 series against England followed by a four-Test series against New Zealand.

In addition to the Ashes and the World Cup, Hussey's formal engagement extends to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket returns to the program, as well as the 2028 T20 World Cup. Having played over 300 matches for Australia across all formats, the 51-year-old expressed enthusiasm about stepping into a more formal and meaningful role to support the coaching and playing groups through a challenging upcoming period.

Former Australian batsman Mike Hussey joins the national team as a consultant coach for major tournaments.

Hussey brings extensive coaching credentials to the role, having previously been part of England's 2022 T20 World Cup-winning staff and serving as the long-time batting coach for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. He also managed the Welsh Fire team in The Hundred. Australian head coach Andrew McDonald praised Hussey's background, highlighting his valuable experience across multiple formats, competitions, and countries.

Why it matters

This appointment brings vital technical expertise back into the Australian dressing room at a time when the team seeks to resolve recent batting vulnerabilities. For cricket followers and international observers, securing a seasoned mentor like Hussey signals a strategic push by Australia to strengthen its coaching depth ahead of marquee contests like the Ashes and the Cricket World Cup.