Sydney, August 16: Former Australian batting greats Dean Jones and Mark Waugh feel that Mike Hussey is under immense pressure to save his place in the side.
They feel that Hussey’s Test batting average has more than halved in the past two seasons and was under threat to hold his position heading into the home summer, although both said he had the tools to climb out of the hole.
Hussey’s Ashes average stands at 25.83. His overall Test average is 52.39, but in 2009 it sits at 27.84 from eight Tests, compared with last year’s 37.50 and 2007’s 74.80.
“He is seriously in trouble. He has not scored a century in his last 27 Test innings,” The Age quoted Jones as saying.
“I really like watching him bat when he’s in full flow, he thinks on his feet, he is a great runner between wickets. There is no real weakness in his technique. He is just thinking too hard about it.”
Waugh said Hussey’s declining average would force the selectors to drop him.
“He has got an excellent record, he has been a top player for quite a while, in the last year his average hasn’t been great, way below what his Test average is,” Waugh said.
“We know he’s a good player, but everyone needs runs, no one has a God-given right to be in the team. Selectors have probably been a bit lenient on him because he has such a good record. It has come to the stage where he will need to score shortly.
“If he doesn’t make a big score next Test, the selectors will be looking at making the change,” Waugh added.
Waugh said that young South Australian Callum Ferguson is likely to succeed Hussey.
–IANS–