Australian Hussey open to Ashes Test role as England make approach | Cricket News
Hussey Open to Batting Coach Role with England Ahead of Ashes
By [Author Name]
Published August 21, 2026
Australian cricket icon Mike Hussey has revealed that he is open to the possibility of joining the England national team as a batting coach. His potential appointment could put him in a unique position to face his home country during the upcoming Ashes series.
England will host Australia for the Ashes in June, July, and August 2027, aiming to reclaim the coveted urn for the first time since 2015.
Hussey, who is affectionately known as “Mr. Cricket” for his technical prowess, disclosed that he was informally approached by Stephen Fleming, England’s newly appointed red-ball coach. The two have shared a professional relationship for over 15 years, having played and coached together at the Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings.
In an interview with Fox Sports, where he currently serves as a commentator, Hussey described their conversation as a casual inquiry. “It was just a bit of a passing comment, really saying, ‘Look, what do you reckon? Would you think about being the batting coach?’” he said.
Hussey recently returned from coaching duties with Welsh Fire in The Hundred cricket tournament. He acknowledged that he had not yet fully considered the opportunity presented to him. “To be honest, I have not been able to give it any thought whatsoever,” he noted. “I just love the coaching side of the game, and just to be able to work with different players.”
If Hussey decides to accept the role, he would be tasked with strategizing against Australia during the Ashes series alongside Fleming, who was appointed coach in late July following the departure of Brendon McCullum, who continues to lead England’s white-ball teams.
Hussey admitted that the prospect of working with England, a team he has previously assisted during the T20 World Cup in 2022, might feel strange. “It did feel very weird pulling on that training shirt for the first time,” he reflected. However, he added, “once you get in the nets and you start working with players, you sort of almost forget what shirt you’ve got on.”
As he considers this new chapter in his career, Hussey emphasized the importance of taking a moment to pause before making any decisions. “I’m sort of just trying to take a bit of a break from it all at the moment and will give it some thought in due course,” he said.
