Michael Hussey, the tenacious former Australian batsman, was plagued with lingering doubts early in his highly successful career and the accumulating pressures gnawed away for years.
Managing cricket's external distractions, the Michael Hussey way
These days, it is easy to forget Hussey's early struggles because of a superlative backend to his career - he didn't play Tests until the age of 30 - but the 41-year-old's international prospects looked forlorn for much of his 20s.
Hussey's entry into the domestic ranks coincided with Australia becoming a powerhouse under the captaincy of Mark Taylor and later Steve Waugh, meaning national openings were rare. For some time, it appeared Hussey was destined to become linked with other highly successful domestic batsmen - Jimmy Maher and Jamie Cox are prime examples - who could never crack Australia's powerful Test team.
Early in his career, Hussey was stereotyped as a stodgy and hardworking opener who grinded away but often made batting look difficult. The Western Australian's perceived sedateness was magnified by batting alongside Ryan Campbell, an explosive opener with a penchant for trickery.
That staid perception meant he was pigeonholed as a long-form player and even in that format Hussey endured some hiccups after being ingloriously dropped from WA's Sheffield Shield team in the early 2000s. It was a period where doubts crept in but Hussey eventually picked himself off the canvas and a stunning transformation ensued.
Hussey, who played 79 Tests and 185 ODIs, became a mainstay in Australian teams across all formats for nearly a decade. Perhaps he wasn't the prized wicket, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke boasted that mantle, but Hussey was the team's fulcrum with his famed doggedness evoking that hard-nosed essence very much at the core of Australian cricket.
His ability to overcome perception and continual disappointment hardened his resolve and, these days, Hussey is revered as one of cricket's most indefatigable and mentally toughest modern players.
Having successfully navigated a roller-coaster ride over a near two-decade first-class career, Hussey has inevitably become a coveted coach. He has had interim international stints with Australia and South Africa, and is the director of cricket for the Big Bash League franchise Sydney Thunder.
During the recently concluded series against India A, Hussey was Australia A's assistant coach but specifically used the role to impart his insights on the mental side of the game. Accordingly, players have relished picking his brain in a bid to learn ways to strengthen their mental resolve, particularly with the cauldron of international cricket looming for them.
"I focus (as coach) more on the mental side of the game because I feel how you deal with the mental side of the game, particularly at international level, can be the difference between success and failure," Hussey told Cricbuzz. "Obviously if I see something technical, I look to address it."
Hussey has long been fascinated about the mental side of the game, an area he personally believes has been somewhat untapped. "You hear people say that the game is 80 per cent mental and 20 per cent skill but we work on our skills 80 per cent and mental 20 per cent," he says. "It seems the wrong way around, so I think it is an area that definitely needs more emphasis and more education with how to deal with the mental issues on the game."
Admitting to being a "late developer" as a player, Hussey says he was fortunate to receive expertise from renowned sports psychologist Sandy Gordon during his entry into the WA ranks. Gordon taught techniques such as goal setting and visualisation to strengthen mental fortitude.
"I was lucky (to work with Gordon) but it still took me a long time to know how to implement them in the game," Hussey recalls.
Hussey is hoping Australia A's players, all of whom are aged in their 20s, can hone resiliency at an early stage in their careers. "It is something that took me a long time to learn," he says "I would like to pass on this knowledge, so these guys can deal with it at a younger age to give them the best chance to perform at their best."
With the Australia A players being at fledgling stages of their domestic or international careers, Hussey shared personal experiences of how he handled pressure and expectation during his lengthy career.
"It's basically about being able to deal with the external distractions, particularly at the international level where there is so much scrutiny and pressure," Hussey says. "Commentators are scrutinising their techniques, articles are being written about them and there are sponsorship requirements they have to meet.
"There are more fans, autographs and fame to deal with," he added. "It is about being able to disregard all of that and focus on what is really important...playing the game and focusing on the next ball."
There were many junctures during Hussey's early career where he could have flamed out if his resolve wavered, resulting in a very different pathway.
"You see a lot of talented people coming in but don't make it because they can't deal with all that type of stuff," Hussey says. "There are so many doubts and fears in your mind that sabotage your thinking and if you don't know how deal with that then it sabotages your performance.
"No one can prepare you for what it's like once you get onto the international stage, so they have to deal with all those external things," he adds. "It's not easy. If it was, you would see a lot of people doing it really well."
Boasting a prodigious playing record meshed with an ability to think outside the box, it is little wonder Hussey is emerging as a young coach in demand. However, much like former teammate Jason Gillespie, Hussey is reluctant for a full-time role at this stage of his life.
"It's too much time away (from home). I love coming in for a couple of weeks here and there," he says. "I know that isn't ideal either because to be an effective coach you need to be there and build relationships with the players.
"At this stage in my life it's not something I want to do on a full-time basis. But definitely when the time is right down the track I'll reconsider."
Share | Tweet |