Stephen Fleming wants Australian Ashes hero and CSK colleague Michael Hussey as England Test batting coach

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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Stephen Fleming has reportedly made an informal approach to Mike Hussey to be England's batting coach.
  • The pair spent years together at Chennai Super Kings, first as players and then part of the IPL franchise's coaching staff.
  • The former Australia batter is currently head coach of Welsh Fire in The Hundred.

Stephen Fleming wants Australia legend Michael Hussey as England Test batting coach

Stephen Fleming has barely had time to settle into the England Test job, but the newly appointed head coach is already moving to shape his backroom staff. Having been handed the reins less than a week ago, the former New Zealand captain is reportedly looking to bring a familiar face from his Chennai Super Kings days into the England setup.

That face belongs to Mr. Cricket Michael Hussey, the former Australia batter and one of Fleming's closest coaching allies over nearly two decades at CSK. The approach, if it develops, would reunite two men who built one of the IPL's most successful partnerships, this time in England colours.

The move also carries an unmistakable Ashes subplot, given Hussey's standing as one of Australia's most respected batters of the modern era. It would represent a striking crossover for a player who spent his career tormenting England.

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Fleming turns to a trusted CSK ally

According to a report by 7NEWS journalist Tom Morris, Fleming has contacted Hussey to gauge his interest in becoming England's batting coach. While there has been no formal offer from the England and Wales Cricket Board, the report states there is little doubt Hussey is Fleming's first-choice batting consultant.

The 51-year-old, who won the 2007 World Cup with Australia, is currently head coach of Welsh Fire in The Hundred and is yet to decide on his availability. Per the 7NEWS report, Fleming will not formally take charge of England until the three-Test tour of South Africa in December, with Marcus Trescothick serving as interim coach for the Pakistan series beginning at Headingley on August 19.

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An appointment that would blur old rivalries

There is a neat logic to Fleming reaching for Hussey, given how seamlessly the two operated together at Chennai. Their relationship stretches back to the inaugural IPL in 2008, when they played alongside each other, before Fleming took over as coach and Hussey served first as a star player and later as batting coach, an association lasting the best part of 18 years.

The intrigue, of course, lies in the Ashes angle. Hussey scored heavily against England throughout his career, and the sight of an Australian tutoring England's batters just months before a home Ashes summer is sure to raise at least a few eyebrows off a few old-timers from both ends of the rivalry.

But Test cricket has shown time and again that, when it comes to getting a match-winning coach, their nationality has hardly been an issue for either boards or selectors. Fleming is now responsible for steering the English side in a new direction and perhaps securing their first WTC Finals title. 

The CSK coach clearly values familiarity and proven methods over any heated rivalry, so Hussey's plunge into the England camp would hardly be something new. If he does, England would gain not only a World Cup-winning brain but also a coach who already speaks Fleming's language.

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