Hughes is ready for anything, even failure

Sydney, May 19 (ANI): Australian opener Phillip Hughes has said that he is ready for anything, even failure.

Currently playing in England's division two county cricket with Middlesex, Hughes will be the focus during the Ashes for both nations.

"He can't have a small fall from where he is now. If he scores three ducks in the first two Tests there will be a huge inquiry, and if he scores runs, the English will talk about how stupid they were to let him play county cricket. We expected this, we planned for this - you plan for success," Hughes's mentor, Neil D'Costa, said from India last night.

The type of success Hughes is enjoying has not been witnessed since Bradman's debut tour in 1930. Their figures are eerily similar after five innings: Hughes with 574 runs at an average of 143.5, Bradman with 556 at 185.33.

And then, after failing twice in one-dayers and feeling emotionally and physically drained, Hughes struck a majestic 119 from 112 balls in a limited-overs fixture at Lord's on Sunday.

The venue, to host the second Ashes Test, will now be a comfortable one for the 20-year-old.

"None of this is happening by luck. To see a 20-year-old kid stop looking at what success is, and start looking at what the processes are ... his processes and planning is phenomenal. Every time someone has a plan for Phil, we have already worked on combating that plan and we will have a play against it," D'Costa said.

"As a professional sportsman, you cannot keep up this level of performance for 10 to 15 years. But when the runs do dry up, it won't be for a lack of effort or dedication. I have never seen Phil work so hard on his game as he is now," he said. (ANI)