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One thing I have noticed already this summer is the vitriol being directed at batsmen trying to break into the Australian Test team.
Whether it is not having a good enough average at Shield level, or not scoring enough runs immediately on making the national team, the lack of patience and tolerance displayed by Australian “fans” is phenomenal.
I am going to focus this discussion on Usman Khawaja, because, as you may have noticed, he’s my pet soapbox in Australian cricket, just as Scott Higginbotham is in Australian rugby.
There are calls in the blog and comment media (especially here) for Khawaja to be dropped because he isn’t scoring enough runs, or because people don’t think he’s good enough.
There are a few things to consider:
– He has only played six Test matches and all six he’s been there as injury cover.
– Khawaja has averaged over 60 in Shield Cricket during the the last two seasons (he’s only played one match this season but still averages over 60 this season too).
– His technique is solid (even four of the seven balls he faced in the Big Bash looked good despite being dismissed for three trying to push along the run rate) and that gives longevity to a player.
Six Tests for one half-century all the detractors cry as if it’s not just mediocre but poor. Sorry but that is a pretty impressive opening to a Test career (only one single figure score and one half century in 11 innings). Not everyone comes out the gate all guns blazing like Greg Blewett, and even fewer do it and then carry it on for a career, like Ricky Ponting.
Compare Usman Khawaja’s start with the starts of three of Test cricket’s recent greats:
Usman Khawaja: 37, 21, 21, 26, 13*, DNB, 12, 65, 38, 0*, 7, 23: average after six Tests 29.22.
Steve Waugh: 13, 5, 8, 0, 11, DNB, 74, 1, 1, 0, 12*, 2*: average after six Tests 14.11 – Test in which he scored his maiden century 27th, career average 51.60.
Jacques Kallis: 1, DNB, 7, DNB, 6, 39, 0, 2, 2, DNB, 61, DNB, 7: average after six Tests 14.75 – Test in which he scored his maiden century, current career average 56.77.
VVS Laxman: 11,51, 14, 1, 5, 35*, 0*, DNB, 64, 27, 0, DNB, 17: average after six Tests 26.00 – Test in which he scored his maiden century, current career average 47.14.
If Waugh, Kallis or Laxman debuted for Australia right now, they’d be crucified by the media and the fans.
Maybe Khawaja needs to be dropped back to Shield cricket, like Justin Langer and Damien Martyn (who both also averaged less than 30 after six Tests, and went on to average in the mid 40s for their career), or maybe he just needs to be told that for the Indian and West Indies series the spot (at three or four) is his and to go out and score some runs.
Bottom line, exercise some patience, show a little faith, and give the guy some time (whoever the guy happens to be).
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