Aussie Hughes says English mentor to play key role in Ashes preparation

Australian Test cricketer Phillip Hughes has said that English county mentor who reinvented him as a Test batsman will play a key role in his preparation for the Ashes.

Crediting his Worcestershire coach Steve Rhodes with rejuvenating his career in 2012 after he was dumped from the Test side midway through the 2011/12 summer, Hughes said that Rhodes helped him believe in himself again after three years of slipping in and out of the Australian side, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

According to the report, ironically, Australia's final tune-up game before their arduous five-Test Ashes campaign is against Hughes' former county side Worcestershire.

Hughes, who has already pencilled in a few catch-ups with Rhodes before being thrust into the firing line of the England attack, admitted that touching base with Rhodes on the eve of the first Test at Trent Bridge on July 10 would serve as a valuable confidence booster.

According to Hughes, the main thing Rhodes gave him was belief and confidence in himself, adding that Rhodes attitude towards hard and work ethic gave him the freedom to play his way.

Although Hughes was demolished by former England captain Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson back in 2009 and had struggled to handle the English conditions, he, however, held his rock-solid temperament to finish the disastrous 4-0 loss to India earlier this year relatively strongly.

Stating that he is better equipped to handle the Ashes series this time, Hughes said that he is planning to be himself.as he feels that he is a lot more mature, confident and more solid in the way he goes about things

English quicks Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson had the ball seaming around everywhere in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's this week, enough to make Australia's top order more than a little nervous, the report added.