Michael Hussey has declined an opportunity to become England’s Test batting coach, opting instead for a part-time consultancy role with Cricket Australia. The former Australian batsman held discussions last month with Stephen Fleming, England’s new head coach, but ultimately decided to remain in Australia ahead of the upcoming Ashes series.
Hussey’s consultancy position with Cricket Australia offers greater flexibility, allowing him to balance coaching responsibilities with his ongoing commitments in franchise cricket and broadcasting. He recently served as head coach of Welsh Fire in the Hundred and has worked as a batting coach for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. He also provides commentary and analysis for Fox Sports in Australia.
Fleming, who spent 18 years alongside Hussey at Chennai Super Kings as both player and coach, had sought to bring him into England’s coaching setup. Hussey previously contributed to England’s successful 2022 T20 World Cup campaign in a part-time coaching role, but a full-time Test coaching position posed greater demands. England face a demanding international winter with tours to South Africa, Bangladesh, and Australia ahead of the Ashes at home next summer, which Hussey preferred not to commit to exclusively.
With Hussey’s decision, Fleming will continue to search for a permanent batting coach. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) may also retain Marcus Trescothick, who has impressed in his current caretaker role during England’s ongoing Test series against Pakistan. Should Trescothick remain, the ECB could consider appointing a head of batting coaching to oversee batsmen’s development across all levels. Both Cricket Australia and the ECB declined to comment on the matter.
In related news, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has resigned from the national selection committee following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) recent decision to drop seven players and alter the coaching staff midway through Pakistan’s Test series against England. The PCB requested written justifications from selectors for certain choices, including the continued selection of Imam-ul-Haq and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan despite injuries and criticism.
Rizwan remains one of Pakistan’s top performers with the bat, ranking as the third-highest run-scorer for the country over the past decade. However, his wicketkeeping has come under scrutiny following errors in recent matches, including the Lord’s Test and earlier this year against Bangladesh. The team’s overhaul partway through the series has sparked criticism within Pakistan’s cricket community. Former players Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik questioned the rationale behind the changes, with Afridi describing the replacements as lacking logic and Malik urging accountability to begin with the administrators rather than the players. Both suggested the upheaval could negatively impact players’ mental well-being and performance going forward.