Usman Khawaja will now miss the first Test against England which begins on Thursday. Spasms in his lower back forced him off the field in the first Test, and he hasn’t quite shaken it. After harsh criticism of his role on the team, that call has been done. His disappointing outing in the series opener in Perth loomed large on this decision.
Khawaja incurred the injury after a few days on the golf course before the match. Cricket Australia Chief Executive Todd Greenberg was unequivocal on the position. He is adamant there is no correlation between Khawaja’s golfing performance and his injury. In the opening Test he had two runs in the first innings. He was denied the opportunity to bat in the second innings.
Khawaja will remain with the Australian team to continue rehabilitation work before the final. He’s now in a race to prove his fitness for the third Test in Adelaide – scheduled for December 17. That makes this match especially special as it’ll be played just a day shy of Khawaja’s 39th birthday.
The lack of consistent runs from Khawaja has worried the selectors, with his only Test match century since June 2023. He is likely to heal in advance of the third Test. There’s no absolutes that he will retain his place in the team for the rest of the Ashes series now.
Scott Boland, a teammate, said he was confident that the team would manage without Khawaja.
“We probably planned to have Ussie there the whole time,” – Scott Boland.
Boland further praised the team’s resilience, referencing their ability to play through injuries or bad form.
“But I think the best thing about our team over the last few years is that when someone has come out due to form or an injury or something like that, someone’s always stood up and done their job,” – Scott Boland.
In the days before the second Test, Khawaja had already raised the alarm bells among Cricket Australia officials. He denied making a vulgarity-laden outburst on the state of the Optus Stadium pitch at a charity function last week. To date, he has not been sanctioned for this statement.
In the Australian selection table for the first Test, Khawaja came up short. The lone allrounder Cameron Green was one of the 15 players selected in a squad that proved historic, resounding eight-wicket victory. Even when Khawaja comes back from injury, there is still doubt over if he’ll be able to retake his spot.
