Hussey on Fleming reunion with England - 'Wouldn't say no to anything'

Hussey will take time before deciding on Fleming's offer to be part of England Test coaching staff

Michael Hussey is open to joining England's Test coaching staff, but will take his time before deciding whether to accept an offer from incoming head coach Stephen Fleming.

Fleming has taken over England's Test side from Brendon McCullum, though is not overseeing the ongoing series against Pakistan, with Marcus Trescothick in interim charge. Fleming has, however, been talking regularly with reappointed Test captain Joe Root.

The 53-year-old's first series in charge will be the three-Test tour of South Africa at the end of the year. He is expected to arrive in the UK in September to get reacquainted with the county system to begin planning for the winter. That will include choosing his backroom staff, which has begun with an approach to Hussey to come aboard as a batting and/or assistant coach.

The pair are close having spent almost 20 years working together at Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. Hussey has previously worked with England as a batting consultant during their successful T20 World Cup campaign in 2022, an appointment ratified by Rob Key who is still in post as men's managing director.RelatedFleming named new England men's Test head coach, Root back as captain

The Australian, who averaged 51.52 across 79 Tests, revealed that Fleming's enquiry was casual but will be deliberated over the coming weeks. He has no qualms about coaching England again, even if it means going up against his homeland in next summer's Ashes.

"The new head coach for England, the red-ball team is Stephen Fleming - I've worked with him at the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL for about 18 years," Hussey told Fox Sport News. "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?'

"I have not been able to give it any thought whatsoever. I've just got back from the UK myself with coaching in the Hundred. So I haven't thought about it at all.

"Would I? I wouldn't say never to anything really - whether it'd be England, whether it be Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa. I just love the coaching side of the game and just to be able to work with different players."Would I? I wouldn't say never to anything really - whether it'd be England, whether it be Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa. I just love the coaching side of the game and just to be able to work with different players."Michael Hussey on deliberating whether to take up England role

"And I have worked with England once before in the T20 World Cup. And I must admit, it did feel very weird pulling on that training shirt for the first time. But once you get in the nets and you start working with players, you sort of almost forget what shirt you've got on."

One of the factors Hussey will consider is lifestyle. England's Test schedule is packed, with the current Headingley Test match against Pakistan the first of 15 Tests over the next 12 months. It would mean a lot of time away from family for the Western Australian, who is currently taking a break having just returned from the UK after coaching Welsh Fire in the men's Hundred.

The ECB is in no hurry to confirm Fleming's staff, particularly given the coaches and facilities at their disposal to tide things over. Trescothick, Jeetan Patel and Tim Southee remain with the Test side, and will reconvene with McCullum for September's white-ball series against Sri Lanka. Whether they stay in their posts beyond the summer remains to be seen.

Cricinfo also understands the ECB is looking to appoint an overarching batting lead, similar to the role Troy Cooley currently occupies as elite national pace bowling lead. Like Cooley, they will oversee the developing and coaching of batters across formats, ranging from the senior international set-up through to the age-groups.