Australian selector Greg Chappell insists he has not advised Mike Hussey to retire, labelling any such claim as “untrue”. Hussey was livid at national selectors when he was told he was too much of a risk to take to the World Cup due to recent surgery on his hamstring.
The 35-year-old repeatedly stated he would have been fit for Australia’s second group match and proved that to be correct with a strong training session with Western Australia on Sunday.
Such was Hussey’s fitness, he was even selected for WA’s current Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania, only to be withdrawn when higher powers at Cricket Australia intervened.
Chappell met with Hussey in Perth earlier this month, in which it is understood Hussey was told that his days in international ranks were numbered.
But Chappell said he had not told Hussey to consider retirement.
“That’s untrue,” Chappell told reporters in Melbourne.
Had Hussey played for WA, it would have been a major embarrassment for CA, who feared the veteran would not recover in time to play a meaningful part at the World Cup.
Chappell said there was nothing sinister behind Hussey’s late scratching for the Warriors.
“In the nets yesterday he was pretty excited by the way he pulled up, but in discussions between Cricket Australia medical staff and West Australian medical staff, they decided it was probably imprudent to try and rush it,” Chappell said.
“They decided to stick to the original plan – try and play some club cricket on the weekend and resume on March 3.
“They jointly agreed to stick to that plan.”
Chappell said it was “out of the question” that Hussey could re-join the Australian World Cup squad should a player over there suffer an injury.
“Once he’s been withdrawn he can’t come in, even if it is to replace someone else,” he said.
Hussey’s career appeared to be fading away last year before the West Australian regained his magic touch, plundering 570 runs at 63.33 during Australia’s 3-1 Ashes loss to England.
The 59-Test veteran is also one of Australia’s most important players in the one-day side, averaging 51.96 across 151 internationals.
His steadying influence in the middle order will be sorely missed at the World Cup as Australia attempt to claim a fourth straight title.
Hussey confirmed on Monday night he had felt fit enough to play but agreed with medical staff to give himself one more week.
“I got through some pretty strenuous training yesterday with the WA boys and managed to get through pretty good,” Hussey said on Fox Sports.
“So I was hoping to play the Shield game but commonsense probably prevailed and I just thought I’d give it one more week just to make sure I was 100 per cent.”
WA coach Mickey Arthur said he was willing to take the gamble and select Hussey but in the end agreed with giving him more time to recover.
“Mike called me last night and felt that perhaps we were all being a bit ambitious, perhaps he needed to follow the program that had been prescribed for him and felt that maybe it was a bridge too far to play this game, which I agreed with,” Arthur said.
“Ultimately it was his decision.”
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