Chennai Super Kings Coach Michael Hussey; Ryan Harris Join Australia Coaching Staff For T20Is
Oct 20, 2019 at 11:06 AM
Former Australian cricketers Michael Hussey and Ryan Harris have joined Australia’s backroom staff for the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Both will be in the role of mentors, working under head coach Justin Langer.
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Since the appointment of Langer, Australia have been taking help of greats to build on Australia’s confidence and the recent appointments is a step in that direction.
At World Cup 2019, Ricky Ponting was a part of the team while during Ashes, Steve Waugh mentored the team. Incidentally, Australia lost the third Test of the series when Waugh had returned to Australia due to prior commitments. He returned to England after fulfilling his commitments.
Of late, it has been seen that Ponting’s presence in the backroom staff has played big role in opener David Warner’s form.
Hussey, a veteran of T20s, is currently associated with IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings in the capacity of batting coach. the MS Dhoni-led side won the IPL 2018 while it made it to the final of the tournament in IPL 2019.
Hussey, as per a report in Mumbai Mirror, was offered the role to be the head coach of Kings XI Punjab but he denied. Later, Anil Kumble was appointed as team’s Director of Cricket and KXIP also named a new coaching staff.
Harris, who has been coaching since his retirement, has been associated with Kings XI Punjab in past. He was at the helm of affair in IPL 2019 but resigned from his post after the entire coaching staff left following a poor run in the tournament. Harris was the bowling coach of Australia on the tour of South Africa in 2016.
Australia play three T20Is against Sri Lanka on October 27, 30 and November 1. They later take on Pakistan in three games on November 3, 5 and 8. They will also host Azhar Ali and co in two Tests.
Aaron Finch, Australia’s T20 captain, is facing a race against time to be fit for the T20I series as he suffering from back spasms.