Hussey initially played for his native Western Australian Warriors, and his career total of 6471 runs ranks eighth in the list of that state's run-makers in the Sheffield Shield.

He then moved to England, where in July 2001 he scored an unbeaten 329 (a Northamptonshire club record) at Wantage Road in his side's 633 for six declared on the way to a 10-wicket victory.

Hussey debuted for the Australian One-day team against India on 1 February 2004 at his home WACA ground in Perth.

In the third Super Series match on 9 October 2005, Hussey became the first person to hit the roof of the Telstra Dome (the ICC World XI's Makhaya Ntini was the bowler in this case).

On 6 February 2006, he tied with Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee on 22 votes for the Australian One-Day Player of the Year at the annual Allan Border Medal presentation.

However, Symonds was ruled ineligible after an alcohol-related indiscretion, and after Lee and Gilchrist were eliminated on countback, Hussey was named the outright winner.

[12] In the 2007 Commonwealth Bank Triangular Series, Australia were in trouble while chasing a target against England, and in a later match New Zealand.

Both times Hussey guided the Australians to victory, and on both occasions was the only recognised batsman at the crease at the end of the match.

Hussey led Australia in the Chappell–Hadlee Trophy after selectors rested captain Ricky Ponting and vice-captain Adam Gilchrist.

The first match against New Zealand saw a 10-wicket loss, the first time Australia had lost by this margin in their One Day International history, although Hussey top scored with 42 off 96 balls.

Hussey's record as captain was further marred when Australia lost the top place in the ODI rankings to South Africa for the first time since they were introduced in 2002 after losing to New Zealand two days later.

Hussey batted through the rest of the innings, making an unbeaten 65 off 88 being the only Australian to really contribute to the poor total of 159.

After initially being left out, Michael Hussey was named in the Australian 2011 World Cup squad as the replacement of Doug Bollinger after recovering from hamstring injury that needed surgery.

[14] Hussey made his Test debut at the Gabba in Brisbane on 3 November 2005, as a replacement for fellow Western Australian batsman Justin Langer in the Australia vs. West Indies series.

On 18 April 2006 Hussey set a record as the fastest player in terms of time to reach 1,000 Test runs.

In the second Test of the 2006–07 Ashes, known affectionately as "Amazing Adelaide" due to Australia's improbable victory, Hussey made 91 before he was bowled (playing on) by Matthew Hoggard.

On 6 January 2007 after Australia's 5–0 Ashes whitewash, Justin Langer anointed Hussey to be the next leader of the team's victory song Under the Southern Cross I Stand.

[18] Hussey claimed his first Test wicket against South Africa on the third day of the 2008 Boxing Day Test at the MCG, when Paul Harris skied a ball over Mitchell Johnson's head and the latter ran back and took a running catch as the ball fell down past his shoulder.

Australia were playing Pakistan and were losing badly when Hussey proved his abilities in batting with the tail end, scoring an unbeaten 134 at the SCG.

In the second Test he made 142 and took two wickets, including a vital one in Kumar Sangakkara, and took a spectacular one-handed full length diving catch in the gully and also being rewarded with the Man of the Match honour.

[24] He played his final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the last of Australia's three match series against Sri Lanka.

In May 2010, he scored 60 runs off 24 balls in the semi-final of the ICC World Twenty20 to help defeat Pakistan and secure a place for Australia in the final.

After finishing school he won a scholarship to the Australian Cricket Academy, where his contemporaries included Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.

His father is a former athletics coach and his younger brother, David, was also a professional cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia.

After retiring from all levels of cricket Hussey worked as a batting consultant for Australia for the 2016 ICC World Twenty20.

[69] Several years after his retirement from the Big Bash League, Hussey was appointed the role of Director of Cricket for the Sydney Thunder.

[70] He was also appointed as the Batting Coach of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for 2018 Season of Indian Premier League (IPL)[71] Away from cricket, Hussey showed his support for Cancer Council WA by being their 2016 Ambassador.