Prolific run-maker Phil Hughes says a secret technical change has laid the foundation for his possible return to Australia’s Test team.
And Hughes says he’s perfectly placed to bat anywhere in the Australian order, if selected to replace retired great Ricky Ponting for the three-Test series against Sri Lanka.
Almost a year after being axed as Australia’s Test opener, Hughes and Usman Khawaja appear frontrunners to replace Ponting.
South Australian recruit Hughes, the leading Sheffield Shield run-scorer and second highest domestic one-day run-maker this season, says he’s in the form of his life.
“I know one thing: I have probably been the most consistent player in Shield and one-day cricket this season,” Hughes told reporters on Tuesday.
“And I know if I did get the nod, I would be very confident.”
Hughes said a change to his much-critiqued batting style was behind his run spree.
“I feel like I’m a lot better player than 12 months ago,” he said.
“I have worked on one thing … but I’m not going to go into it.
“It has improved my game all around the park, I’m scoring in different areas and I feel like when the bowlers are bowling straighter, I can play my leg side shots a lot better than I did 12 months ago.
“It all boils down to the own thing I have worked on technically – I knew I had to make technical changes and I did make this one thing … this one thing just clicked.”
Hughes played all his 17 Tests, in two stints, as an opener but said he was primed to fill any spot in the Australian batting order.
“I’m not sure where my best position is,” the 24-year-old said.
“I have played down at three, played at six before and, obviously through my career, I have opened a fair bit of the time.
“But I feel if you can open, you can bat pretty much in any position.”