England expect Mike Hussey to join Test side as batting coach

Will MacphersonSat, August 22, 2026 at 11:11 AM UTC

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Mike Hussey has previously worked with England as a batting consultant - Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

England are confident of securing Australian great Mike Hussey as batting coach in Stephen Fleming’s remodelled backroom staff.

Fleming has been appointed Test head coach, but Marcus Trescothick is interim charge for this series against Pakistan, with England taking a 1-0 lead at Headingley on Friday.

Fleming is due to travel to England on an undisclosed date next month, but was “exchanging messages every day” during the Test with Trescothick and captain Joe Root. “It was just to keep topping up on what we’re trying to do,” the interim coach said.

The New Zealander is beginning to remodel his backroom team, which leaves Trescothick in an interesting position.

Hussey, the former Australia batsman, confirmed this week that he is considering an offer from Fleming, with whom he worked at Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings, to be the Test team’s batting coach.

Hussey is also head coach at Welsh Fire, where Root plays in the Hundred, and has worked with England as a batting consultant when they won the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia last month.

Hussey played for Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire and Durham - Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

Hussey had the opportunity to distance himself from the position but instead told Fox Sports, for whom he works in Australia, that he “wouldn’t say never to anything”. Of Fleming, he said: “We obviously get on really well and worked a lot together. It was just a bit of a passing comment, really, saying, ‘Look, what, what do you reckon? Would you, would you think about being the batting coach?’”

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It is expected that Brendon McCullum and Fleming will each have separate coaching teams, but Trescothick’s spot in the set-up appears uncertain, despite his elevated position this month.

The arrival of Hussey could mean Trescothick works exclusively in McCullum’s white-ball set-up, but he said he wanted to be involved across the formats after the Pakistan victory.

“I’d love to carry on, of course,” Trescothick said. “We’ve been involved in both formats of the game for a good period of time and had good success and plenty of challenges along the way. Whatever that brings, really – first and foremost, I want to be involved in all formats of the game because it’s a wonderful place to be. Working with the best and seeing England cricketers do well.

“I’ve a huge amount of respect for Stephen [Fleming] and what he’s done in the game, he was a fantastic captain and leader and has done a brilliant job doing what he’s done as a coach.

“That’s not really for me to judge so I’ll wait and see what happens.

“We’ve had a great time doing the job and what we’ve been doing with some success and challenges. We’ll wait until we get the tap on the shoulder.”

There is a general sense of flux around England’s backroom staff, especially after Andrew Flintoff, the Lions head coach, suddenly stepped down this month.

It may play to Trescothick’s advantage that he is one of the few English voices in the national team’s coaching set-up. New Zealanders Tim Southee and Jeetan Patel remain involved, while former England keeper Sarah Taylor is consultant fielding coach.

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Source: “AOL Sports”