Australia appoint Mike Hussey as consultant for Ashes and World Cup

Mike Hussey, aged 51, was appointed on Friday as a consultant coach for the Australian cricket side, tasked with the forthcoming Ashes series against England and the 2027 Cricket World Cup.

Earlier in August, Hussey revealed that Stephen Fleming, England’s new red‑ball coach, had informally approached him to serve as their Test batting mentor. He declined the invitation and instead committed to assisting Australia, whose recent 2‑1 Test series loss in South Africa highlighted a batting slump. His responsibilities will also include the home T20 series versus England this month, the four‑Test series against New Zealand, and work with the squad for cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2028 T20 World Cup.

Known as “Mr Cricket” for his technical knowledge, Hussey played over 300 matches for Australia across all formats. He said, “I am extremely excited about being a part of the team in a more formal and meaningful role in the coming years.” He added, “This team has achieved so much in recent times, to which I hope I can add value to the coaching and playing groups ahead of what will be an exciting and challenging period.”

Australian head coach Andrew McDonald praised Hussey, stating, “Mike has been a highly valued part of our staff in the past and brings a considerable skill set which is complementary to the coaches and players.” He continued, “Not only is his expertise as a player and coach across multiple formats, competitions, countries invaluable, so are his qualities as a person.”