Michael Hussey has an incredible playing record which any sportsman could be envious of, but in Winning Edge he reveals how he overcame the times when he wondered if he could go on. Whether it was his first serious injury, his lack of form or the pressure of performing in front of thousands of fans, Mike takes us behind the scenes of elite cricket and explores the challenges that players face.
“How does a sportsman maintain an elite level of skill when his mind is swirling with: What is the pitch doing? How much swing is the bowler getting? How fast is the ball coming through? Is it seaming around? We cannot afford to lose another wicket. I need to score more runs. What are the selectors thinking? What is the media saying? Do my teammates still want me in the side? Am I still good enough?”
You might have expected international sportspeople to have these sorts of things worked out. But in Mike’s experience that is not the case at all. He found it takes time to learn the range of skills you need to survive and if you do not adapt quickly enough you can easily be spat out of the system. He has seen many players come and go, a scrapheap of talented cricketers who might have had a fruitful career had they been more aware and better prepared for the job than simply knowing how to play a good back defence or cover drive.
Mindful of the challenges and opportunities that will confront sportspeople as they progress through the ranks, Mike’s experiences and observations could be applied to other sports—and even other fields, such as business.
Winning Edge takes you behind the scenes and into Mike’s world of cricket.
