A scan today on Usman Khawaja’s hamstring will decide if the very talented and in-form left-hander will be fit enough for the historic pink-ball-day-night Test in Adelaide in 12 days against New Zealand.
Khawaja doesn’t deserve another setback.
Throughout his chequered career, he’s had to battle selectors and injuries.
When Khawaja made his Test debut against England at the SCG in January 2011, the future loomed bright for the then 25-year-old.
Six Tests later after playing against Sri Lanka and South Africa away and New Zealand at home, the national selectors dumped Khawaja for the first time.
Two years later Khawaja was resurrected for three Tests against England, and picked for that infamous Indian tour where he was a glorified drinks waiter, and one of Mickey Arthur’s victims of the homework-gate suspensions.
Dumped again, Khawaja missed most of last Sheffield Shield season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury that threatened his career.
And last month Khawaja tweaked his hamstring in a Queensland sprint session that very nearly blew his chances of being resurrected again.
Thankfully the selectors ticked Khawaja’s resurrection box and the results have been right off the top shelf with a maiden Test ton 174, 9*, and 121 for a series average of 152.
And now this rotten luck hamstring.
If Khawaja’s ruled out, Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft move into the frame as replacements. But there’s a far bigger decision to be made – where does the skipper Steve Smith bat?
He’s been sensational at three, but in a typically unselfish act he moved to four to accommodate Khawaja.
Great for Khawaja, but not too crash-hot for Smith who has scored 48, 1, and 27 after waiting with his pads on for hour after hour watching David Warner and Khawaja pile on the runs.
So that begs the question should Steve Smith bat three or four?
Strangely enough, Smith is so talented he can bat anywhere.
Batting three – seven Tests, highest score 215 with 791 runs at 71.90 including three centuries and two half-centuries.
Batting four – six Tests, highest score 192 with 636 runs at 63.60, including three centuries, and a half-century.
Batting five – 15 Tests, highest score 162* with 1198 runs at 66.55, including four centuries and six half-centuries.
Batting six – 11 Tests, highest score 100 with 325 runs at 25.00 with one century, and one half-century.
Batting seven – two Tests, highest score 54* with 121 runs at 60.50 including one half-century.
Batting eight/nine – three Tests, highest score 77 with 100 runs at 25.00 including one half-century.
But Steve Smith’s an action man, so batting three would be in Australia’s best interests if Khawaja’s ruled out.
If Khawaja plays in Adelaide, the skipper’s unselfish decision will have to stick – Khawaja three, Smith four.
Aransan
Guest
I am sure all cricketers selected to play for Australia are "fit". There are different levels of fitness though and it would be hard for a sportsman to gain a high level of fitness coming off a knee reconstruction in the time that Khawaja had. I believe Mark Taylor and also Michael Clarke at stages late in their careers took their fitness to a higher level and that is what is required to make big scores and play in difficult circumstances. I think Jameswm has made some important points in this discussion.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
This happened due to man a who was fatigued. Could of happened to David Warner, could of happened to Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson or Mitchell Marsh. It could of happened to anyone chasing a ball at that time of the day tired and fatigued. The conspiracy saying Khawaja is unfit is laughable. Hammy's go! For guys who are just coming off Knee reco's they are even more likely to go.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
I don't think that is what DL is saying at all. Simply countering the naive point of view that Khawaja injured his hamstring because he was unfit. And that more time in the gym would have prevented it.
Jameswm
Guest
Cummins gets injured, Cummins does gym work, therefore gym work is bad. Good logic. Sorry David you're a lightweight when it comes to injury prevention and recovery. You struggle to acknowledge that, just quietly, people might have learnt a bit since you played.
Jameswm
Guest
Nah I don't think he looks chunky. And zero, people don't just pull hammies. They pull them for a reason, which could be any combination of fatigue, lack of strength, poor running mechanics, insufficient recovery and other things. The fact he's coning back from ACL rehab could have something to do with it. He night not have done all the work he needs to to get the balance right. Add the fatigue on the muscles from batting for a long time and then fielding, and it increases the chances of getting injured.
Jameswm
Guest
Actually, if you're running correctly, you use your glutes and hammies more. Hence why you need to do so much work o n them. Athletes spend more time on them than on quads.
Red Kev
Roar Guru
And I am saying that ill-informed internet comments from a bunch of fat armchair cricket watchers holds no weight when the player and the fitness staff have been on the case for more than 8 months and adjudged him fit.
Aransan
Guest
Coming back from an ACL injury is a huge challenge and he has done well to be able to get back on the park in the time that he has. The recovery time for footballers is typically a year. He needs to do as much as possible to avoid recurring hamstring injuries and a number of comments here have been along the lines of Khawaja appearing to be out of condition.
Red Kev
Roar Guru
If you bothered to investigate you wouldhave known that Khawaja was in the best shape possible. 8 months of physio, rehab and training every day to come back from injury monitored and conditioned by the Bulls and CA staff. You of course must know more than the professionals because looked on TV and stated "it is obvious he is still out of condition" which is complete and utter crap.
AREH
Roar Guru
I'm not sure Smith moved to four as part of an unselfish act, if the captain wanted to bat there that much I'm sure he would've. Perhaps four is where he feels more comfortable given he isn't sometimes exposed to a brand new ball when the openers don't establish a partnership - as was seen in the Ashes. Statistics as also included here show the slighty favourable numbers at 4.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Just on Khawaja's injuries and general fitness, he is coming back from an ACL, a rare event for a cricketer and this is probably a reoccurance of his hammy from a month ago. Before that he got his thumb broken and missed a few weeks. Before all that he was looking very mobile in the field ( last 2 seasons of matador cup ) and took some excellent catches.
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
He should put his hands up for Burnsies job at Short-leg if he doesn't want to run as much ;)
Aransan
Guest
He looks a bit chunky to me.
Aransan
Guest
Khawaja just doesn't look fit as pointed out by a number of contributors, and that will make such a player injury prone.
Goongla
Guest
I think it has to do with balance of strength between the anterior muscles and posterior muscles, in this case the quads and hamstrings. If there is imbalance then you become more prone to injury. Naturally as humans, we use our quads a lot more, and that is why hamstring injuries are so common. So proper strength training is important. You are right however that running technique is important because it is a quad dominant activity.
Simoc
Guest
Well if you run flat out then stop suddenly to hurl a ball, there are plenty of body parts under extreme pressure. I think you said above that everyone is different and that is your answer. If you bowl within yourself you get criticized for not trying hard enough and if you max out, soon enough you will be injured. But I think all fast bowlers should study the late in career actions of D Lillee and R Hadlee when off shortened runs they were more accurate and more effective without seemingly over exerting themselves. M Whitney also changed for the better.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Yes because the causes and prevention measures for stress fractures have so much in common with hamstring injuries? That's a long bow to draw David.
David Lord
Expert
No-one has mentioned why the Australian fast bowling contingent has been a never ending story of breakdowns, especially Pat Cummins who is a dedicated trainer and gym participant, yet has been on the physio table far more than on the field.
Zero Gain
Guest
He looks very fit to me. Maybe he just pulled a hammie as anyone can do?
elroncho
Guest
Yet Shane Watson was one of the biggest and strongest players and his hammies went off like clockwork. Ussie probably need to look at his running technique more than anything.