Hodge mellows despite selection snubs

Brad Hodge's timing with the bat has always been superb; now he hopes the timing of his latest cricket decision won't hurt his career. For the first time since 1999, Hodge has chosen not to head to England during the off-season, even though a county spell would position him perfectly should the Ashes batsmen encounter any injury dramas.

It's an option that has been taken by his fellow Victorian David Hussey but Hodge has experienced enough selection disappointments over the years to know that whatever will be will be. It has been a confusing year for Hodge, who last played for Australia 13 months ago in the Kingston Test against West Indies and then slipped off the radar over the home summer despite piling up runs for Victoria.

At 34, he wasn't expecting a new Cricket Australia contract this year, even though he knew full well he was one of the country's best 25 players. When he was given a deal for 2009-10 it gave him hope of a call-up but his name didn't feature when the World Twenty20 and Ashes squads were picked.

"I was disappointed not to be in the Ashes squad," Hodge told Cricinfo. "It's obviously hard work to get a little taste dangled, a carrot, and then not get selected. But that's okay - I'm comfortable with where I am in cricket at the moment. There's other things in my life that are happening around me."

One of the stars in the recent IPL series, Hodge has plenty to occupy his time. As well as studying a sports management masters course at university, he is waiting anxiously for his wife Meg to give birth to the couple's second child, due any day now. His daughter is so close to arriving that as he played a game of laneway cricket with police and Indian students in Melbourne - as a display of unity after the recent violence against young Indians in Australia - his mobile phone was never far from his hand.

Hodge was never shy of voicing his frustration at a lack of opportunities for Australia but he now has a more philosophical approach. There's no doubt that becoming a father has helped to put things in perspective.

When his son Jesse was born in 2006, Hodge flew out from Melbourne four days later for cricketing duties. Barring Australian selection, it was a situation he was not going to put his family in this time around, so county cricket was not on the agenda in 2009.

"We talked about it previously and I just said, look, I think it's time we stay home for the winter and enjoy each other's company for a change, watch the Demons in the footy, and just try and get our lives a little bit settled," Hodge said. "It would have been hard going over to England after the IPL - too much touring.

"If they want me, you're only a plane-ride away. I don't plan on going over there and don't expect to be over there [for the Ashes]. Hopefully I get a chance to play, possibly in the Twenty20s which they play against England later on. If I get selected I'll be happy."

It was a surprise that Hodge, one of the most prolific Twenty20 batsmen in the world, wasn't part of Australia's squad for the World Twenty20. However, the next tournament is less than a year away, in the West Indies, and Australia's failure this time means there is every chance Hodge could yet be a key short-format player for his country. He remains hopeful, but won't be holding his breath.

"Who knows what the future holds for me," he said. "I'm not really sure. I don't really lose sleep at night wondering when I'm going to play again. I used to, we have all done that, but I certainly don't any more."