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Don’t call it a recall.
Back again after being dropped for the sixth time in his 24 Test career, Usman Khawaja reckons it feels he has never left the Australian team ahead of the Ashes.
Khawaja, 30, admitted he had endured a “rollercoaster” international career since his Test debut in the 2010-11 home Ashes series.
It appeared to take another dip when he was omitted for Australia’s second and final Test on their tour of Bangladesh in September.
But Australian No.3 Khawaja said he didn’t feel like he had overcome yet another axing ahead of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane from Thursday.
“It doesn’t really feel like a recall because I think I was dropped for the last (Bangladesh) Test for team balance,” he said.
“I had an idea that I would still be a fair chance to play in the summer.
“I talked to selectors, I couldn’t say much, but they pretty much told me beforehand.
“So it doesn’t really feel like a recall. It feels like I’ve never been out of the team.”
Queensland captain Khawaja nailed down the No.3 spot with 346 Sheffield Shield runs at 86.50 this summer to date.
However, Khawaja is yet to fire against England.
In four Ashes Tests to date, the elegant left-hander has amassed just 172 runs at 21.5 with just one half century.
But Khawaja finally feels in charge of his fate ahead of the Ashes thanks to all those years of being in and out of the national side.
“I’ve had a bit of a rollercoaster in international cricket,” he said.
“It was a great learning curve. Without getting those failures and going in and out, I wouldn’t have grown as a player.
“I think I’ve just matured as a player a bit more.
“When a new series starts, there’s no guarantees about anyone performing.
“In the back of my head I always know that, so I try to stay on an even keel.”
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