Cricket Australia (CA) has made an 11th-hour offer to Michael Hussey to prevent him from joining England’s coaching staff ahead of the 2027 Ashes. According to Code Sports, Australia has offered Hussey a temporary batting consultant role to help rebuild the national team’s struggling batting unit.
England Test coach Stephen Fleming approached Hussey about becoming England’s permanent batting coach. Fleming and Hussey already worked together at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. Hussey also worked for England before on a casual basis during the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.
Cricket Australia Makes Late Move to Sign Michael Hussey
Cricket Australia has made an 11th-hour approach to Michael Hussey with a temporary batting consultant role. The move comes after England coach Stephen Fleming approached Hussey about joining his coaching staff ahead of the 2027 Ashes.
Australia want Michael Hussey to help rebuild the batting order while keeping his experience and knowledge within the national setup. Hussey understands Australian players, and he could give England an advantage if he joins Fleming's staff.
The Ashes are scheduled to begin in June 2027, leaving Australia with limited time to strengthen its batting unit. Hussey remains highly respected after scoring 6,235 runs in 79 Tests, including 19 centuries, and has also worked with Australian coaches since retiring.
Stephen Fleming and Michael Hussey's Chennai Super Kings Connection
Stephen Fleming and Michael Hussey have a long-standing relationship from their time with Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. Fleming has approached Hussey about joining his coaching staff as a batting coach.
Hussey has previously worked with England as a batting consultant under Matthew Mott during their successful 2022 T20 World Cup campaign. The former batter said that he is considering Fleming’s offer but has not made a decision yet.
“This is what’s happened: I’ve worked with Stephen Fleming for a long time, we’ve got a very good relationship at Chennai Super Kings. He’s now the red-ball coach for England,” Hussey said on Fox Cricket.
“He (Fleming) has inquired, he’s just said, ‘Look, Huss, would you be interested in being the batting coach?’ I’m just taking some time, I’m not making any decisions anytime soon, just thinking about it.”
Australia's Batting Problems Increase Pressure Ahead of Ashes
Australia’s batting struggles were evident during the recent Test series against Bangladesh. Australia suffered a shock nine-wicket defeat in Darwin before bouncing back with an innings-and-51-run win in Mackay. The series exposed concerns over the top order’s consistency and technique.
Jake Weatherald was dropped during the series, while Marnus Labuschagne remains under pressure after another difficult run. Australia will next face South Africa and India in away Test tours before the 2027 Ashes in England.
In the first Test in Darwin, Australia were bowled out for 198 in the first innings, and they bounced back with 284 runs in the second innings but suffered a nine-wicket defeat.
The second Test in Mackay brought a better result, but the batting remained inconsistent. Matthew Renshaw scored 8, Travis Head made 22, and Marnus Labuschagne scored 4. Cameron Green top-scored with 67, while Steve Smith (42) and Nathan Lyon (32) contributed with valuable runs.
