Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 6: Cricket Australia has appointed former Australian batter Michael Hussey as a consultant ahead of several major international events, including the 2027 Ashes, the ODI World Cup and the 2028 T20 tournaments.
Hussey will work across formats, with a particular focus on guiding the team in the shortest format of the game. His responsibilities will include assisting Australia's preparations for the T20 competition at the Los Angeles Olympics and the 2028 T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
His expanded role will begin with Australia's upcoming T20 International series against England. He will then assist the team in preparing for the New Zealand Test series in Perth, marking the beginning of a more extensive association with the national coaching group.
Hussey has previously worked with the Australian team through short-term coaching assignments under head coach Andrew McDonald. His contributions mainly involved providing batting support ahead of the annual Perth Test. However, his commitments as a commentator and coaching responsibilities with Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League and Welsh Fire in The Hundred had limited his availability.
He had also been considered for a role alongside Stephen Fleming following the New Zealander's appointment to England's Test coaching setup earlier this year. However, Hussey eventually opted for a longer-term commitment with Australia.
Expressing his excitement over the appointment, Hussey said he was looking forward to becoming part of the team in a more formal and meaningful role in the coming years. He hoped to contribute to the coaching and playing groups during what he described as an exciting and challenging period.
Head coach Andrew McDonald welcomed the appointment, highlighting Hussey's experience and ability to complement the existing coaching staff and players. He said Hussey's expertise as a player and coach across different formats, competitions and countries, along with his personal qualities, would be valuable to the team.
Hussey had also worked with England's coaching group under Matthew Mott during their successful 2022 T20 World Cup campaign.