Veteran batsman Mike Hussey insists he remains confident of turning his form around after shutting himself away from criticism following the Test defeat in Hobart.
Hussey, who just three months ago cracked 463 runs at an average of 92.6 against Sri Lanka, is now battling to hold his Test spot after posting just 83 runs at 11.86 in recent series against South Africa and New Zealand.
The 36-year-old's lean trot continued on Sunday night when he made a duck in Perth Scorchers' 31-run Twenty20 loss to Hobart Hurricanes.
But Hussey believed his lack of recent runs was more a case of bad luck rather than bad form and hopes to prove the doubters wrong in the series against India.
"I haven't really taken much notice of the external stuff at all to be honest," he said.
"I haven't really read a newspaper, haven't really turned the TV on since we lost the Test match down in Hobart.
"I pretty much just tried to get away from it for a week, or for a few days anyway.
"I still feel like I'm in a good frame of mind. I still feel like I'm hitting the ball well in the nets.
"But that's the way batting goes. You're going to get times when things go well for you and you've got to cash in, like what I was able to do over in Sri Lanka.
"And then there's going to be times when things don't quite go your way and unfortunately the last few innings that's what it's been like for me."
Hussey said fellow batsman Shaun Marsh, who injured his back last month, would take part in this week's three-day batting camp in Melbourne in a bid to prove his fitness for the Boxing Day Test.
Meanwhile, Tasmanian paceman Ben Hilfenhaus has not given up hope of returning to the Test arena despite the emergence of future stars James Pattinson and Pat Cummins.
Hilfenhaus, who snared 2 for 10 off four overs in the Hurricanes' Twenty20 win, has not played a Test since featuring in Australia's losing Ashes cause in January.
But after working on several technical issues over the winter and building up his fitness, the 28-year-old has returned to form with 20 Sheffield Shield wickets at 28.6 this season.
"Last year I had a problem with the tendonitis in my leg and it sort of changed my action a bit," Hilfenhaus said.
"It made me bowl around myself so the ball was swinging early.
"Batters find it a lot easier to play if the ball swings out of the hand rather than swinging late, so we identified that and worked on those things.
"I've just got to do the best I can and hopefully that's enough at some stage to get recognised at the higher level again."
AAP
Tags: cricket, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia First posted December 20, 2011 06:56:09
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