'Australia ready to welcome Mike Hussey back'

New Delhi: Australia are contemplating bringing Mike Hussey back from retirement if he wants to stage a middle-order return for the Ashes.

The 37-year-old retired in January after the Sydney Test but since then his absence from the Australian team has been sorely felt.

Coach Mickey Arthur indicated that he was interested in Hussey if the veteran shows interest.

"We'd certainly listen to Mike Hussey if Mike Hussey came knocking at our door," Arthur was quoted as saying by Australian daily The Age.

Since retiring, Hussey has been in good form in the domestic circuit. He has continued his run-scoring for Western Australia and in his last two Sheffield Shield matches he made unbeaten 99 and 96.

But by July 10, when the Ashes start with the first Test against England at Trent Bridge, Hussey would turn 38.

Hussey, however, has brushed aside the speculations about his return last week.

"Nah, I don't think so," he said, adding that Australia had to stick by the squad they had chosen for the tour.

Arthur admits that Australia dearly misses Hussey and ex-captain Ricky Ponting.

"Yeah, we miss him (Hussey). We miss the aura of Ricky Ponting. But I'm hoping that these younger players will take over that mantle in time to come. They're nowhere near ready yet. But in time to come, they've got to step up and take on those mantles because they're going to be the role models for the next generation of cricketers," he said.

"I'm confident we've got the best players here. These guys just need to be given that confidence and just need to stand up. I'm pretty sure they will," he said.