Michael Hussey Appointed Australia Team Mentor For Sri Lanka, Pakistan Series

Australia's cricket team have started a trend wherein they appoint mentors for subsequent series. Ricky Ponting was part of the Australian coaching staff during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in which the five-time champions were eliminated in the final by England while Steve Waugh was appointed as the mentor of the side for the Ashes 2019 contest which ended in a 2-2 draw. Now, it is the turn of former Australia left-hander Michael Hussey to join the backroom staff as the mentor of the side for the upcoming series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

In an interview to the Sydney Morning Herald, Hussey outlined what was his role going to be. "I'm very excited actually. I'm really looking forward to getting back in around the Aussie team. 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," Hussey said.

Apart from Hussey, Australia cricket coach Justin Langer also admitted that Ryan Harris, the former Australia pacer who retired from international cricket in 2015, was appointed as the bowling coach for both the series. Langer said 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. It's nice to have different voices and different eyes and see guys of that calibre giving us feedback on what they see," Langer said. 

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Australia begin their home summer with a three-match Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka starting on October 27. Australia have won only one Twenty20 International out of six encounters at home against Sri Lanka and they will be aiming to arrest that slide. After the end of the Sri Lanka series, Australia will play three more Twenty20 Internationals and two Tests against Pakistan in November-December. The two Tests will be part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championships. After the end of the series against Pakistan, Australia will play a series against New Zealand.

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