The left-handers, we hear, are a different breed. Even the term frequently used to describe them sounds attractive- ‘southpaws.’ It’s almost as if a panther is scratching a snowy surface to extract something captivating. The left-handers bring a sense of serenity to Cricket that elevates what is essentially a duel into a battle decorated by beauty.
David Gower lorded with grace previously unseen in the game. Brian Lara epitomised flair, almost styling a game often seen as crude and blood-chillingly competitive. Sourav Ganguly, akin to his nickname, greeted bowlers with the panache of a prince. Saeed Anwar and his penchant for timing made batting a poetical fest.
But it wasn’t anything like that with a certain Mike Hussey. Living true to the adage that the left-handers are unique, Mike Hussey was a different predator altogether; a creature that had little to do with style, but everything to do with discipline, and lest it is forgotten-substance.
Seldom before has a left-hander been seen saving a game than stylising it with a touch of class.
Moreover, rarely has a left-hander been seen winning as many games for his side as saving a career that seemed to be falling off the edge. Most cricketers, counter challenges in midst of a contest. But Mike Hussey’s birth in the game was a story of a unique challenge in itself, wherein a 29-year-old had no time whatsover to prove himself worthy of the baggy green and of donning the Australian gold.
Life’s kind to you when you’re young. We admire Pant’s flashes of brilliance and we are entertained by Hetmyer’s wild heaves and pulls. We spare them the harsh hammer of criticism for we know with time they’ll learn.
Though life didn’t afford the luxury of time or breathing space to Mike Hussey, who at 29, was no spring chicken when he arrived and had to instantly produce results. Moreover, he had to do so for a bastion of excellence that is Australian cricket, amid cricketers one deemed more of super stars than special talents given around a Ponting, Warne, Hayden, Gilchrist, and Lee the sense of challenge was exceptionally high.
But true to his quintessential fighting spirit, Mike Hussey was upto the task. To this day, we stay in awe of the Australian men’s team and its streak of 21 consecutive ODI wins. But little is reserved to examine how Mike Hussey fared in his very first year of competitive Test and ODI cricket.
Frankly, Mike Hussey’s bafflingly good feats deserve a mention in cricket’s fictional account of ‘did you know.’
How’s that?
In his first year of Test cricket, he averaged 85, having already struck 3 centuries from 10 innings as he went on to compile 595 runs from just 5 Tests. Not that the ODIs were left with decaying numbers; from 20 ODIs, wherein he got just 14 opportunities to bat, Hussey smashed 587 runs with five fifties, averaging a whopping 146.
To most of us, 2005 would remain the year where there was a Tsunami special relief effort game featuring some of the leading lights of cricket, a year where West Indies made poor news given the sponsorship row, and where Bangladesh caused a huge upset in beating Australia at Cardiff.
But Down Under, a certain Mike Hussey announced his arrival in the highest annals with a sense of reassurance about him instead of going bonkers about his explosive beginnings that would make a Ponting or Tendulkar smile with contentment.
It’s not that Hussey didn’t face his share of challenges despite exhibiting unfettered consistency across formats. Given his doggedness at the crease and the penchant to construct an inning instead of going for explosive stroke play, there emerged doubts whether he’d adjust to a new form of cricket; the format that was to shape the identity of a game ever evolving- T20Is.
But even there, Hussey excelled with sincerity, taking Australia to the finals of the 2010 World T20 courtesy a crazy 60 off just 24 against a Pakistan powered by the alluring Saeed Ajmal, wherein he blasted 22 from the final over against the off-spinner.
That he struck 150 of his 721 T20I runs, which is nearly a fifth of his runs by way of just sixes highlights the fact there’s more to Mr. Cricket than meets the eye. Maybe it’s fair to label him “Mr. Adaptable” for to Hussey, what mattered were runs- never the format. For a batsman considered conservative, we tend to forget that in his T20 debut, vs New Zealand, Eden Park (Feb, 2005), Mike Hussey fired 31 off 15, starring in a 44-run win.
Though, it wasn’t long after his World Cup heroics that the Perth-born found himself staring at an abyss of uncertainty. In October 2010, with the Ashes summer primed to offer something spectacular to the home fans, Hussey entered the Gabba at the back of a poor showing in the Sheffield Shield season.
For a batsman who suited headlines such as- Mr. Cricket digs in- it did appear as if departing from cricket was on the cards. And when he faced his maiden delivery from Steven Finn, it seemed Hussey was done; the ball snapping the outside edge, though falling just milimetres short of second-slip.
Destiny was on his side and our man was ready to soldier on.
How often has the game seen someone ending up scoring his best-ever knock despite facing overwhelming odds? While for times to come the drawn Test at Brisbane will be remembered for Sir Alastair Cook’s glorious 235, the Ashes opener would always remind Aussie fans about Mike Hussey’s extraordinary powers of concentration. In sticking to the pitch for 462 minutes, Hussey powered away to a 195 batting for 112 straight overs.
To a team that longed for a finisher, especially after Bevan retired, Mike Hussey was perhaps Bevan’s ability to reconstruct an inning + Chanderpaul’s willingness to fight on. On top of that, that he was an exceptional guard at cover and point region meant that Australians were constantly harassing their challengers with a vital pair of hands. Though for all he achieved- and let’s not discount the fact that Huss has been a world cup winner (2007 ODI WC)- Mike Hussey emerged almost un-Australian in his conduct in the game.
The sort of guy you’d liken to an Adam Gilchrist for bringing to cricket a gentlemanly touch despite representing a culture frequently marked by sledging. The man whom you’d imagine Rahul Dravid and Younis Khan interacting with for hours.
But for time immemorial, a question, it must be shared, would trump fans concerning the gentle achiever of Australian cricket.
What about Mike Hussey was most surprising and exhilarating- that he fired six consecutive 50+ knocks in Tests where Lara, Sachin failed to do so or that not once in his Test career did Mike Hussey average lower than 36, averaging north of 60 in four calendar years (out of nine)?
Regardless, let us contend with the fact that for as long as perseverance and focus shall be counted among style and flair as defining values of a cricketer, Mike Hussey will continue to interest and inspire everywhere.
