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He is the young all-rounder earmarked as a new superstar of Australian cricket.
Test great Mike Hussey is backing WA and Scorchers young gun Aaron Hardie to earn Player of the Tournament in this season’s Big Bash, which could catapult the 24-year-old into international stardom.
Hussey’s call is significant given the Big Bash has some serious star power this season.
South African great Quinton De Kock is coming off a brilliant World Cup and will play for the Renegades.
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (Strikers) and England Ashes revelation Harry Brooks (Stars) are unfortunate withdrawals, but Australian World Cup heroes Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis are sure to play big roles.
Hardie is currently in India with the Australian T20 squad, mainly on the back of a stunning BBL last year, and has played four times for his country.
He has produced some nice cameos for Australia in the past few months, notching 2/62 from 10 overs against South Africa on ODI debut in September.
He also whacked 23 of 14 balls in a great closing batting performance against South Africa in the T20s, and he even took the new ball against SA in a T20.
But this season’s Big Bash could be Hardie’s big break as he looks to launch into the international arena.
“He’ll bat three for the Scorchers and bowl,” Hussey said at the launch of SuperCoach BBL for 2023/24.
“He’ll have plenty of opportunity to score big runs and his bowling is improving all the time.
“He’s been watching and learning off the likes of Cameron Green and Mitch Marsh over in Western Australia for a couple of years. He’s developing nicely.”
The England-born 24-year-old is coming off a breakout Big Bash where he topped the runs list with 460 runs at 42.
While used somewhat sparingly with the ball, he proved an impact weapon with five wickets at 22, taking a wicket every 17 balls.
“He’ll take a lot of confidence from last year,” Hussey said.
“He did so well last year in the Big Bash and that proved to himself he’s good enough.
“Hopefully for his sake and for the Scorchers he can take that confidence and take it to another level.”
While considered a short-form specialist for Australia at the moment, Hardie also has serious claims as a future Test player.
His first class record is enviable, averaging 43.10 with the bat and 27 with the ball.
Both figures are comparable – if not better – than the Test incumbents. He averages 10 runs per innings more than Marsh, while he takes wickets at an average of six less runs than Green.
Hussey also backed Jake Fraser-McGurk and Will Sutherland as breakout stars of the BBL.
“Fraser-McGurk is ready to take that next step,” Hussey said. “He scored a hundred off 29 balls in the Marsh Cup. He’s got amazing talent but we want to see it consistently, which we haven’t seen so far.
“Sutherland is returning from a back injury and is an allrounder I’ve had my eye on for a few years.
“The allrounders take time to develop but he has potential to put pressure on the likes of Green and Marsh in the future, just like Hardie.”
Originally published as Australian cricket’s next star: Mike Hussey backs Aaron Hardie as BBL Player of Tournament
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