Usman Khawaja is touted as Australia’s next in line and he showed why for the Prime Minister’s XI yesterday. He built a solid 69 against the touring West Indies.
Already this season he is the Sheffield Shield’s fourth leading run-scorer. He has been praised as one of the brightest young batting talents in Australia. He has a classy and sightly technique adept at combatting tricky conditions. He has tasted Test cricket before.
Despite all of this, Khawaja’s ascent to a mainstay in Australia’s middle order appears to have hit hurdles at every turn.
Khawaja is a shining light in the otherwise barren landscape of talented young Australian batsmen. In his 60 first-class matches to date, the stylish left hander has amassed 4045 runs, mostly in the toughest domestic competition in the world, Australia’s Sheffield Shield.
His average of 43.03 is all the more remarkable when you consider how highly-geared conditions have been towards fast-bowling and the recent and controversial emergence of ‘result pitches’.
The fifth and final Ashes test at the SCG in 2011 was the scene of Khawaja’s Test debut. Within only a few balls, he had clipped a two and stamped his authority on the match with a glorious hook for four off the bowling of Chris Tremlett.
A star was born, or at least, that’s what most casual observers thought that day.
Khawaja has since added only a further five Test caps to his name. He’s been a sporadic member of the side.
Had he been made a full-time test match player, he could have played a total of 21 Tests.
He would be an engrained, experienced and crucial middle order batsman. This is not the case, the selectors missed a trick here and his limited exposure may well come back to bite them come the Ashes this year.
The National Selection Panel continues to look for reasons not to play Khawaja. Last season, John Inverarity, head of the NSP, cited Khawaja’s fielding, nonchalant work ethic and application as areas of weakness, which if improved would warrant reconsideration of a return to the Australian side.
All areas of concern were valid and Khawaja needed to lift his off-field commitment.
It is evident that under the guidance of his new coach, Darren Lehman, that Khawaja has addressed these concerns and developed further into a well-rounded, adaptable and professional cricketer.
Despite his re-elevation to national squad honours, as injury cover, an actual breakthrough return to the Test XI is yet to come to fruition.
Khawaja was called upon as Michael Clarke’s back-up for the Boxing Day Test when the captain was under the cloud of a hamstring injury.
Clarke overcame his fitness concerns and took the field, while Khawaja seemed to have finally sealed his place as the next cab off the rank.
Yet when in Sydney only six days after the MCG test had finished, Shane Watson was forced to withdraw with a calf injury. It looked logical to most that Khawaja would slot seamlessly into the side.
However, it was opted for an extended tail and five specialist bowlers. It didn’t make sense that the side was made unbalanced when including Khawaja would have maintained team structure.
Khawaja was given a long overdue chance in the Australian ODI side. He was unluckily run out for three and abruptly dropped. His opportunities have been severely limited and this is another example of the selectors showing no faith in Khawaja’s ability.
All things considered, it is evident that Khawaja is deserving of a return. He has addressed his issues, is showing strong form and continues to score runs, especially when it matters.
Australian cricket fans are unanimous in favour of Khawaja’s return. Yet the NSP still look less convinced than ever that he’s ready.
The time to get him in the side came long ago, and the opportunity must now be acted upon before it is gone. If Australia is to continue its rebuild towards world number one, the classy left-hander is a must.
Over to you Roarers, how does Khawaja fit into the Australian side and at whose expense?
Bearfax
Guest
Are the selectors about to play more dirty tricks with Khawaja? Rumours are abounding that Maxwell will be promoted to Hussey's vacated position for the first test. Why else was Khawaja dropped from the ODI side supposedly to send him to India to acclimatise. But that means he misses his last chance to impress for QLD's Shield match on the weekend and get some much needed batting time. Why is he being sent before others who have had much more batting time and get the chance to continue to maintain form. Because of his selection as 12th man or stand in over the last few months, the kid has had little chance to get some quality time in the middle. He was picked in the ODI side to replace Warner and what did they do...promoted favourite son Maxwell ahead of him. Khawaja could do no more than just hold his wicket given the game was virtually over by the time he got in to bat. He got out for 3 in the next match, but it was off a freakish catch. Khawaja played a fine shot that would ordinarily have gone to the boundary. Such is the luck in the game. Mind you Maxwell got out for a duck with a messy shot and was then his spin bowling was assaulted by the West Indies attack until he got a chance to get some wickets from the tail. Sure Khawaja got out cheap, but Finch is yet to get past 20 in all of the T20 and ODI matches. Different rules for different players again I think Maxwell will make a fine test batsman eventually. But to choose him ahead of Khawaja for these tests is foolish. He does not at this stage have anywhere near the finesse or the savvy to deal with spin bowing that Khawaja has and his bowling is just not yet up to international standard. We've already got one batting passenger in the side. Having two would be insane
Ken Hambling
Guest
Warner will be fine before the India series and that's good to hear because him, Hughes and Khawaja will be very important for the India series.
Ken Hambling
Guest
Johnson smasing fingers is good sign as he s getting his agro back.
Ken Hambling
Guest
Good on Huss, Khawaja is his best replacement and the man himself is very good judge of talent.
Ken Hambling
Guest
Now we hear the selectors aretakng Agar, why didn't they take SOK or Haurtiz. Also i would have taken Hughes as well in the first party to leave on Thursday as he long with Khawaja will be key for us in India
Ken Hambling
Guest
Instead of Vogues i would have Quiney in there.
Ken Hambling
Guest
I didn't know he was a pilot as well, talented kid.
Ken Hambling
Guest
With Khawaja's selection in the Indian tour we can see now that selectors realise that Khawaja is a important player for us in the next 12 months
Herbert Pocket
Guest
TGT, it does make you wonder sometimes whether all of these "project" and "X-factor" players are backed to the hilt to justify the size of the selection panel. If the NSP were in accord all of the time about the players to select, what would they report back to the board? Similarly do they look for perceived character flaws in players, that simply aren't there or are negligible in nature, to justify their positions as selectors? I don't know, and selection is no doubt a difficult job. But certainly worth consideration.
Bearfax
Guest
Which is why Khawaja needs to take advantage of his two ODI games coming up. If he scores big in at least one of them, like Hughes, the monkey may finally be sliding off his back.
Red Kev
Guest
Well maybe if they picked him when he was averaging 60 for 15 straight Shield matches (over two and a bit seasons) instead of yo-yoing him out of the squad; he'd do better? Perhaps instead of lavishing 13 straight tests on a guy with a FC average of 39 they could do that on a guy who has a FC average of 43? It's not like Watson is knocking on the door as a batsman - three seasons of averaging 33?
Smokey
Guest
Picking a player with a test average of 29 and FC average of 43 is shafting him? I think it is pretty clear everybody wants Khawaja to succeed but he's hardly been knocking the door down the last couple years.
Red Kev
Guest
I think once again the selectors are trying to shaft Khawaja.
Bearfax
Guest
So what do you think?
Bearfax
Guest
For those yet to hear the Indian touring team is: BATSMEN: Clarke (Capt) Warner Watson Hughes Khawaja Steve Smith Cowan WICKET KEEPER: Wade ALL ROUNDERS:: Henriques Maxwell SPIN BOWLERS: Lyon Doherty FATS BOWLERS; Sidldle Johnson Pattinson Starc Bird
The Dish
Guest
Will have to agree with you on O'Keefe, I'm really disappointed that Doherty is in the squad and likely to play. It's really hard to picture him doing any damage in a test. I would also be disappointed with Smith being in the squad, but I figure he is only there for developmental purposes or a holiday.
Bearfax
Guest
Well finally a little common sense has prevailed with selections. Still some big question marks but the touring side looks fairly good. Interesting that Khawaja is suddenly being recognised by the selectors and one wonders if its not only his top performances but the media attention that has caused a rethink with the selectors. He's in the first two ODI matches against West Indies and its just been announced that he is in the Indian touring squad. Further Invarerity indicated that he is a strong chance to play the first test in India. Not sure why they are taking Watson, unless Cowen's position is being seriously looked at, because Watson has only recently come back from injury and scored very little since then. But then I would prefer him in place of Cowen. Steve Smith's selection is interesting as a backup batsman only. He has been performing well with the bat in recent times and has a good first class average. He should give up trying to be an all rounder and concentrate on batting, which is his strength and he is second only to Warner as a fieldsman. It was interesting that it was commented that his and Maxwell's selections were for the future, not so much the present test team . Henriques' selection as the main all rounder being considered is I think at this stage the best selection for that area. He seems to be performing the best of the all rounders at present even though I think he's got a way to go. I think picking Doherty over Steve O'Keefe, who is performing in first class cricket better, is a mistake, but like Maxwell at the moment they can do no wrong because they want them to develop The rest of the bowlers are as expected. Better touring side than I expected. Still think Steve O'Keefe should have been there and I would have selected Burns for Watson or Cowen at this stage. What do the rest of you think?
matt h
Guest
Yeah refer above - agree 6 not 9. Not sure where the 9 came from. And a for Cowan I agree he is not good enough, but I get a little irritated with comments that imply Khawaja is some sort of certainty to be the batting messiah of Australian cricket. He might be, but it's not as clear cut and obvious as some think. History is littered with batsmen who look great but do not deliver to expectations. I hope Khawaja is not one of them, because frankly there isn;t a whole lot else around.
matt h
Guest
6 not 9 - you're right, sorry about that Red Kev. re conspiracy theories I was talking about Rob Barrow's post which inlcuded references to Maxwell and Bailey, but neither have played a test so any inference of bias towards them compared to Khawaja is obviously false ... so far, but as I said the Indian touring party selections may change that. And I have no problems with Cowan being taken to task for his record to date. I would replace him in a heartbeat. So owned on the 6 vs 9 tests absolutely.
Disco
Roar Guru
See also, the last two Ashes contests.