When Ricky Ponting was ruled out for the fifth Test of Australia’s disastrous 2010-11 home Ashes series it offered a glimpse to the future for the nation’s coveted No. 3 position.
But in a promising yet unfulfilling debut innings at the SCG, Usman Khawaja made 37 before falling to the crafty Graeme Swann.
A decade later and it’s uncanny how that innings resembles Khawaja’s entire international career. Averaging 40 through 44 Test matches, the left-hander has often teased Australian cricket fans with elegant stroke play.
But at 33 and having not played in Australia’s last seven Test matches or been given a national contact, have we seen the last of Khawaja at Test level?
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Throughout a decade-long career it’s bizarre that we’re still pondering where Khawaja’s best position sits. In a statistically driven sport the numbers don’t lie. An average of 96.80 as an opener dwarfs that of a 37 average at No. 3. Sure, it’s a small sample size of seven Test innings, but these numbers also translate to ODI cricket, where he averages nearly 54 as an opener (20 innings, strike rate 85.99) compared to nearly 30 as a No. 3 (17 innings, strike rate 78.13).
So why hasn’t Khawaja been given a greater opportunity to open the batting at Test level? Australia certainly haven’t been blessed with consistent, dominant opening batsman since the retirement of Chris Rogers in 2015. At one end David Warner has been a staple of the side, but even he was absent for 12 months thanks to the ball-tampering saga.
At the other end selectors have experimented, tossed and turned, with various options considered over the past few years. Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw, Cam Bancroft, Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris have all had multiple opportunities to cement themselves in Australia’s best XI.
Is it Khawaja’s persona on and off the field that leaves him behind the eight ball? At his best his laconic batting is stylish and graceful. At his worst his dismissals may be considered lazy and lacking the required care and intent of a Test batsman.
The Test, a must-watch documentary on Amazon Prime, offered the public a new perspective of Khawaja from inside the dressing room of a player who isn’t afraid to speak up and voice his opinion even if it means questioning training techniques of the coaching staff. Although respectable, such behaviour also opens him up to controversy and criticism.
After being released from the national contract list, Khawaja defied the selection panel by stating, “I still feel like I’m one of the top-six batsmen in the country”. Coaching staff, selectors and the public may disagree, but the question may never be answered unless he’s given an opportunity to open the batting again.
Incumbent opener Joe Burns is less than three years older, so it’s not an age issue. Burns averaged less than 26 in six innings against a battered and bruised Kiwi bowling line-up that was otherwise dominated by Australian batsmen.
Khawaja deserves one last chance, and there’s no reason to deny him that opportunity.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
You don’t think we’ll see him back in the side? I think if he’s hitting runs when Wade has his next form slump surely he’s next can off the rank?
Steve
Guest
his last name isnt marsh and he's not a pet of the selectors, it wouldnt matter if he was averaging over 300, he will not get another chance.
Steve
Guest
"I think Ussie is a better bat to be honest", did you also want to inform us that the sky is blue?
AJ73
Roar Rookie
I would argue that he has a lower average as he was/is always the scapegoat. His record opening is far superior to Warner's, however, he has only had 7 innings and not consecutively. 4 of those innings gave 2 50's and 2 100's, another not out. The hundreds were 100 under lights in Adelaide and 100 in the UAE to save a test. The only time he had back to back tests as an opened was in the UAE. In the other tests, he only opened in 1 inning but batted twice.
Paul
Roar Guru
true enough, but he averaged a tick over 33 in the Ashes and only 29.75 against the Kiwis. He also made no centuries last Aussie summer and only one score over 50. That's a pretty poor return from a number 5 or 6 bat across 15 Test innings, IMO.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Short of Usman knocking the leather off it with Burns getting injured or a Renshaw like form slump at the start of the shield season. I think Burns should be given until the end of the India series to prove himself and lock that spot down.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I’m hopping we see Kurtis Patterson come out on fire at the start of the shield season. Poor bloke got given his chance, nailed it, is averaging 144 in test cricket and can’t get another game.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
That’s a logical argument. Is an certainly hasn’t had the same faith shown as Marsh or Warner, especially away from home. But when two bats have a terrible run at the same time. One of them Has 21/30-100/50’s @ about 47 and the other has 8/14 -100/50’s @ 40 it’s pretty straight forward which one is going first unless there’s two players beating down the door.
Simoc
Guest
I think Ussies test average of 40+ is good and he is unlikely to improve it since he has played over 150 first class matches for a 42+ average. He looks better than that but 44 tests is a solid amount to judge a player on. He has had seriously poor form for awhile now and he needs to set the world on fire to get a test recall. I do believe there is an openers spot available but don't think he'll get it. The test team has moved on well without him so maybe short form cricket is his best hope now.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Wade has scored a few tons since he came back.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I think Maddison is the next best bat actually.
Paul
Roar Guru
I agree Burns would be under pressure but the incumbency factor can't be ignored. Khawaja would have to have a red hot start and Burns fail miserably to not at least be selected for the First Test, I reckon. I'm not in love with Wade at 6 and reckon he has to be in the team on sufferance at present. He had more than a few chances to make a swag of runs last season and looked very ordinary against the Black Caps, IMO. I also can't get past a guy averaging a touch over 31, yet being considered a certainty to hold down the number 6 spot. He's also had 32 Tests but still averages less than Tim Paine. If one of the middle order guys in Shield, like Patterson or Puckovski fire and Wade doesn't, surely he'd have to be under the pump as well?
AREH
Roar Guru
Yeah well said. Considering Burns was hit and miss last season, despite again pairing well with Warner, that position is still pretty open you'd think come the first few Shield rounds. Anyone with big runs could push hard, even a Renshaw/Hughes/Maddinson for instance.
jameswm
Roar Guru
True. But Burns hasn't nailed down the spot and if Khawaja were to start the season on fire, the pressure for that spot would be on. Ussie has a record of doing well as opener. I think Ussie is a better bat to be honest, and wouldn't mind him coming back. Having said that, Burns is the next best option and Warner likes opening with him - he's far from a shoddy option. Good to see our other opener and 3 & 4 being such easy selections and close to workd no.1 in their position. Head and Wade are retty locked in for a while at 5 and 6 - and Paine at 7 - and the 3 quicks and the spinner. Pretty set team to be honest. And could do really well over the next 3 years or so. We even have quicks like Pattinson and J Richardson waiting in the wings (I think Sayers, Bird, Boland, Siddle etc are a step down from those 2, who would both walk in as good to very good test cricketers straight away). Our biggest weakness is a backup spinner. Backup keeper (Carey) I'm happy enough with.
JGK
Roar Guru
He came back from the Pakistan tour as Australia's number 1 batsman in the absence of Warner and Smith, but he only made it past 33 once against India, got a cheap ton against Sri Lanka and didn't get past 40 in the Ashes. He actually looked OK in the first Test and a half (his 40 at Edgabston was particularly valuable) until he got out softly for another pretty 30 odd at Lords. He dropped a few catches as well. For what it's worth, since that Pakistan series, he has been caught behind in 8 of his 15 dismissals to 7 different bowlers.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think we're saying the same thing in different ways. I agree Burns would be the guy most under pressure but every opener who should have challenged him last season, hardly made a run. Bancroft, Harris, Renshaw & Khawaja all had poor seasons.
Wilbur
Guest
There are 5 tours to Asia scheduled in the next few years. I can see that as a way back into the test side if Burns struggles as Khawaja now has quite a bit of experience in sub continent conditions, whereas Burns really struggled in Sri Lanka 2016.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Burns has not sealed the spot. Partnering Warner is where he would slot in (if anywhere).
jameswm
Roar Guru
Burns is 3 years younger you mean? He fell out off form at the wrong time last season. A couple of big knocks and he could have come back in. He won't be batting at 3 or 4 any time soon, but partnering Warner at the top cannot be out of the equation.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Khawaja is an example of what happens when you poorly handle a player. Phil Hughes was another. If Hughes and Khawaja had been shown the same faith as Warner and Smith, those four would have been a very good top four in the post Ponting-Hussey world. I'm not saying Khawaja would have ever reached the "great" status, but until his recent struggles he averaged around 44 or 45 in FC cricket, miles ahead of the Shaun Marshes, Joe Burns, Marcus Harris and Travis Heads of the world. It's hard not to see how his mental state simply never reached where it needed to be after being dumped in Sri Lanka in 2016. He's had his moments after that, but really, I don't think he ever reached the heights he could have after that, he always seemed to be a guy about to get dropped and his mental state always seemed poor. Considering our lack of quality bats, it really has never made sense to keep dropping him in and out of the side. The reality is that since January 2017, he's played 22 tests for about 1,200 runs at 34. That's not terrible, at least these days, in this team, but it's not good and it's certainly not good enough from your supposed third best bat and second oldest player (after the captain).