Michael Hussey: Presenting his IPL numbers for CSK and MI
What's the story
Often referred to as Mr. Cricket, Michael Hussey has left an indelible mark in the world of cricket.
Renowned for his exceptional understanding of the game and calm demeanor under pressure, Hussey has made significant contributions to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He also played a season for CSK's arch-rivals Mumbai Indians before retiring in 2015.
Here we decode his IPL numbers.
Career highlight
Century on IPL debut
It was CSK's first-ever IPL fixture and they posted a mammoth 240/5 against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in Mohali.
Hussey, who batted at number three, starred for them as he attacked the bowlers from the outset and scored runs for fun.
He scored 116 off just 54 balls, having smoked nine sixes.
Brendon McCullum, who made a historic 158* in the first-ever IPL fixture, is the only other batter with a ton on IPL debut to date.
Achievements
Best batting average for CSK
Hussey's IPL career is dotted with a number of milestones. He was a part of CSK's IPL-winning teams in 2010 and 2011.
He overall made 1,768 runs across 50 games for CSK with the help of 13 fifties and a ton.
His batting average of 42.09 for CSK is the best among batters with at least 1,500 runs for the team.
Consistency
Orange Cap in 2013
Known for his consistency and performing under pressure, Hussey won the Orange Cap in 2013.
The southpaw scored 733 runs across 15 innings that year which had equalled the then record for the most runs scored in a single season of the IPL.
He averaged 52.35 and hammered six fifties that season as CSK finished as runners-up.
Notably, the then 37-year-old Hussey played that season as a retired international cricketer.
MI
Brief stint with MI
Despite winning the Orange Cap in 2013, CSK did not retain Hussey ahead of the 2014 edition.
MI then bought him in the auction.
He was a shadow of himself from the last season as he managed just 209 runs across nine innings at 23.22 before being dropped.
That turned out to be his first and last season with MI as he was released thereafter.
Final years
Hussey's return to CSK and overall stats
Hussey returned to CSK in 2015 but could only manage 77 runs across four innings.
That turned out to be Hussey's final assignment as a player in the league.
His final seasons weren't as prolific as his earlier years, but he still finished up 1,977 runs across 59 IPL games at an average of 38.76 (SR: 122.64).
Hussey made these runs with the help of 15 fifties and a ton.