Adam Voges seeks Michael Hussey's help to crack Chepauk conditions ahead of BBL opener

Perth Scorchers will begin their 2026-27 Big Bash League campaign at MA Chidambaram Stadium on December 12, facing Melbourne Renegades in what will be a challenging opening fixture on Indian soil. Head coach Adam Voges is preparing his squad for the unfamiliar conditions at one of India's most demanding venues, where recent batsmen have struggled to adapt to the pitch behaviour.

Voges has a history with Indian cricket, having captained Scorchers during their 2014 Champions League T20 visit and later serving as assistant coach at Lucknow Super Giants. He is now planning to draw on the expertise of Michael Hussey, who has been associated with Chennai Super Kings for almost 18 years and brings unparalleled knowledge of the Chepauk ground. Voges lives near Hussey and intends to tap into his local knowledge before the tournament begins.

"I live just down the road from Mike Hussey. So I'll be leaning on all the contacts in order to understand the conditions and Chennai itself as best we can, and hopefully make the experience and the trip a really successful one, on and off the field," said Voges as quoted by Cricinfo.

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Experience in Indian conditions across the squad

Voges acknowledged that the Chepauk challenge will be new territory for most of his squad, but he has identified several players with prior experience in Indian conditions. Mitchell Marsh and Cooper Connolly, who had strong showings in IPL 2026, are expected to be part of the touring party, while Ashton Turner and Jhye Richardson have also played in similar environments previously. The head coach recognises that experience in these conditions will be crucial for his team's success.

"Yeah, I think it's going to be new for everyone, and that's the exciting part. That's the great challenge for all of us. And certainly, for us from a Scorchers perspective, we have a number of players who will be coming who have experience in the conditions over here. We've got a number of hopefully IPL stars in Mitchell Marsh and Cooper Connolly that will certainly hopefully be part of our squad that comes over. Ashton Turner, Jhye Richardson are another couple of guys who have played in the conditions as well," said Voges.

Voges served as assistant coach at Lucknow Super Giants a couple of years ago and has drawn on those experiences to prepare his squad. He is committed to sharing his knowledge with younger players who will be experiencing Indian conditions for the first time, ensuring they are equipped to perform at their best.

"I was really fortunate to be part of LSG's coaching staff a couple of years ago, and we did play a game here. So, I'm certainly going to be leaning on those experiences as well, and to be able to try and communicate those experiences, particularly to a few of our younger guys, because there'll be a few of our guys that this will be their first experience in India and in these conditions. And so just trying to upskill them as quickly as we possibly can to give them the best chance to go out and succeed and put on a good show," said Voges.

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Spin-bowling options for Chepauk challenge

The Chepauk pitch has proven unpredictable in recent matches, with the Duleep Trophy surface remaining flat across five days despite expectations of significant spin assistance. Voges is preparing his squad for conditions that may favour spinners, and Scorchers have assembled a spin-bowling unit to match that challenge. The team has recruited Calvin Harrison, a tall wristspinner from the UK, to bolster their spin options alongside Ashton Agar and Cooper Connolly.

"I hope [it spins]. We've got Ashton Agar, Cooper Connolly, we've just signed Calvin Harrison from the UK, who I've worked a little bit with in The Hundred, who's a tall wristspinner. So yeah, we are certainly hoping and expecting that there'll be conditions that favour spin, and that's what we'll be preparing for," said Voges.

Voges is stepping away from his role with Western Australia for the first time in over 20 years to focus on broadening his coaching experiences across multiple franchise competitions. His decision to prioritise the BBL and other international opportunities reflects his commitment to developing his expertise in different cricket environments and formats.

"Yeah, it's going to be different. Western Australia play their first game tomorrow in Perth, and it'll be the first time for over 20 years that I won't be a part of it. So it's a bit of a different feeling. It's a decision that I made to try and continue to broaden my experiences around the world with the MLC (Seattle Orcas) and Hundred (Trent Rockets) and Big Bash," said Voges.

"For me, it's just continuing to learn as much as I can about the game in different places, about different cultures, different environments, and hopefully continue to create those and build those experiences into my own coaching. And hopefully be a better coach for it," he added.