SYDNEY, Oct 20, 2019 (BSS/FP) – Former middle-order batsman Mike Hussey has
been drafted in by Australian coach Justin Langer to help mentor the side
during their upcoming Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
He is the latest great to be brought into the fold after Ricky Ponting
joined the backroom staff at the one-day World Cup this year and Steve Waugh
helped out during the Ashes series in England.
“I’m very excited actually. I’m really looking forward to getting back in
around the Aussie team,” Hussey, who is nicknamed “Mr Cricket”, told the
Sydney Daily Telegraph on Sunday.
“They are going to be trying to get strategies in place, develop a style
of play and what players they want and I love all that stuff — planning for
a big event.
“They have floated the possibility of being involved closer to the T20
World Cup (in Australia next year) as well but it’s all pretty loose at the
moment.”
Australia play back-to-back three-game T20 series against Sri Lanka and
then Pakistan starting next Sunday in Adelaide to kick off their summer
season.
Langer has also made former Test speedster Ryan Harris bowling coach for
the series. He told the newspaper the presence of Ponting, Waugh and now
Hussey was enormous for his team.
“I can’t tell you how influential these guys can be on the group,” said
Langer.
“It’s nice to have different voices and different eyes and see guys of
that calibre giving us feedback on what they see.”