Dhoni wants Hussey for India coach, report says

Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes former Australia Test batsman Mike Hussey should be India’s next national coach, according to a report in India.

Dhoni, who retired from Test cricket after India’s drawn third Commonwealth Bank Test with the Australians earlier this week, dropped Hussey’s name to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the report says.

The two played together at Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, where Dhoni was said to have been impressed with Hussey’s temperament and leadership skills, traits that would see him as an ideal replacement for former coach Gary Kirsten.

“Dhoni has floated the name of Michael Hussey for the position (current coach Duncan) Fletcher has assumed,” wrote Sai Prasad Mohapatra for the Hindustan Times.

“In a carefully calibrated way, Dhoni’s intent and communication about Hussey has reached the top BCCI boss, and nobody else is privy to this.

“Dhoni sees a brilliant thinker and man manager in Hussey who can bring calmness and camaraderie to the dressing room like Kirsten.

“Besides being a non-confrontational character, Hussey has been the brain behind Murali Vijay’s success in Australia – Vijay apparently overcame the challenges of playing in Australia with Hussey’s help.”

Hussey, who is currently playing with Sydney Thunder in the KFC T20 Big Bash League, has become renowned for his ability to help out young batsmen at both the Thunder and CSK.