Michael Hussey turns 48: A look at career, accomplishments of Australia's 'Mr Cricket'
May 27, 2023
New Delhi [India], May 27 : Former Australian batter Michael Hussey, who earned the name 'Mr Cricket' among cricket fraternity and fans due to his skill, knowledge and consistency in the sport, turned 48 on Saturday.
Hussey was a late bloomer and had come to the international arena for the first time at the age of 28 in 2004, later on making his Test debut at age of 30 in 2005. But in his career lasting till 2013, Hussey entertained fans worldwide with his elegant strokeplay and put many followers of the sport in awe with his remarkable consistency.
In 79 Test matches, he has scored 6,235 runs at an average of 51.52. He scored 19 centuries and 29 half-centuries in 137 innings of his Test career, with best score of 195.
Hussey had an excellent record in subcontinent conditions, where a lot of Australian greats have struggled historically. In 11 Test matches across India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Hussey scored 1,198 runs in 19 innings at an average of 63.05. He scored four centuries and five fifties in testing Asian conditions, with the best score of 182.
He also won The Ashes series against England at home in 2006-07 and the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India as well.
Hussey was known to be a massive accumulator. After two years in the Test side, his batting average was above 86.
'Mr Cricket' also did really well in ODIs. In 185 ODIs, he scored 5,442 runs at an average of 48.15 and a strike rate of over 87. He scored three centuries and 39 fifties in the ODI format, with a best of 109*.
With Australia, Hussey won three major ICC titles, the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007 and ICC Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009.
In 38 T20I matches, Hussey scored 721 runs at an average of 37.94 and a strike rate of 136.29. He scored four half-centuries in the shorter format, with the best score of 60*, which he made against Pakistan in the semis of the 2010 T20 World Cup, smashing 18 runs in the final over bowled by Saeed Ajmal, taking his side to the final. This remains one of the most iconic knocks in the tournament's history.
Hussey also represented Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In his IPL career, he has scored 1,977 runs at an average of 38.76, with one century and 15 fifties. He helped CSK clinch a double of IPL and Champions League T20 in 2010, following it with another IPL win in 2011, in which he made 492 runs with four half-centuries in 14 matches.
With a total of 302 international matches, 12,398 runs, 22 centuries and 72 fifties under his belt at an average of 49.00, he is one of the most underrated figures of the Australian side which dominated the sport in the 2000s.
