Hodge already has a double century next to his name in Tests

Former Australia batsman Dean Jones believes veteran batsman Brad Hodge is the only man capable of replacing Michael Hussey, who recently retired from international cricket, and added that the national selectors should include him in the Test squad for their upcoming four-Test series against India, which starts later this week.

With Hussey and former captain Ricky Ponting having both moved on, Jones noted that Australia have a huge hole in their middle order, which could only be filled by Hodge since all of the other players are too young or inexperienced.

“The retirement of Hussey, following Ricky Ponting, has made Michael Clarke and his new middle-order companions look more vulnerable than ever,” Jones wrote in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald. “Australia has lost nearly 250 Test matches in experience in one month.

“I notice Brad Hodge, at the age of 38, has given notice to Australian selectors that he would come out of retirement to fill the hole. Many people scoffed. Years ago in India, Hodge was demoted as Australia went for a young batsman.

“Now I look at our pools of talent and I don’t see anyone who could compare themselves to Hodge, even now. That is the point. I noticed this week that the director of cricket for the Bushrangers, Shaun Graf, seemed less than enthusiastic at the possibility of a Hodge comeback.”

In the six Tests he has played, Hodge has scored two half-centuries and one double century, which is all topped off by an outstanding average of 55.88.

He also boasts 17,084 first-class runs, which include 51 centuries and 64 half-centuries at an average of 48.81.

With all this experience behind him, Jones believes that Australia would be making a huge mistake in not picking him.

“That left me thinking Hodge might have left some things in the closet with Victoria when he retired, or they don’t rate Hodge,” Jones added. “But Hodge is still in good form. He has made 17,000 first-class runs at an average of nearly 50 (including a Test average of 55.88).

“We should at least look at the option of picking Hodge. We know we have a hardened first-class cricketer who would die for an opportunity to play one more time for his country and suddenly, our middle order looks a lot better with Hodge in it.”