After two and a half years out of the Test team and more than 1000 days since his last century, Usman Khawaja’s drought-breaking ton on day two of the fourth Ashes Test was met with a fittingly joyous celebration.
And it isn’t just Khawaja himself who was overjoyed by the milestone; social media has lit up with tributes for the 35-year old, after a moment he must have thought he’d never experience again.
A popular cricketer, the SCG erupted as Khawaja pushed Jack Leach through square leg to bring up the milestone. That was nothing compared to the reaction on Twitter, with his list of fans including star Australian women’s cricketer Jess Jonassen.
After being dropped by Joe Root off Leach’s bowling early in his innings, Khawaja wouldn’t give another chance, reaching his ton in 201 balls with 11 boundaries.
Having come to the crease on day one with Australia having lost two quick wickets at 3-117, the left-hander’s steadying influence steered the home side past the 300 mark, with more runs there for he and the tail.
Focus quickly turned to Australia’s enviable depth compared to that of England, with one fan noting the distance between Khawaja’s efforts and that of England’s own mid-series inclusion, Zak Crawley.
In another ugly stat for England fans, Khawaja moved past regulars Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler on the series run-charts with his Sydney heroics… from five fewer innings.
And it wasn’t just Englishmen who copped the ire of Twitter, Australian journalist Dan Brettig pointing out opener Marcus Harris, controversially picked as David Warner’s opening partner ahead of Khawaja to start the series, should also be sitting nervously.
Of course, it was only a matter of time until Virat Kohli was brought into the discussion.
Khawaja’s last Test century was made against Sri Lanka in Canberra on February 3, 2019. After middling returns during the 2019 Ashes and Marnus Labuschagne enjoying a breakout series, he was omitted for Australia’s fourth Test victory, and hadn’t been seen at the highest level since.
However, Travis Head’s positive COVID-19 test in Melbourne opened the door for Khawaja, having forced his way into the squad following a dominant start to the summer for Queensland. He will now be tough to dislodge, even heading into overseas tours of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India set to test his supposed weakness against high quality spin bowling.
During Khawaja’s innings, thoughts turned to the make-up of the team for the fifth Test in Hobart, with Khawaja’s name all but pencilled in.
“If you give that [Travis] Head comes straight back in, if Khawaja goes on to make a hundred, it’d be hard to drop him, either,” Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket.
“Can he open?” fellow caller and Test great Adam Gilchrist asked, hinting that Khawaja’s future in the team might be at the expense of Marcus Harris, despite improved returns in Melbourne and Sydney.
“That’s the space, isn’t it, did Marcus Harris do enough?” Warne agreed.
“It was really tough in Melbourne, in those conditions, and he was the highest scorer of anyone (76).”
“The other possibility… what did you make of Cameron Green’s short stay at the crease today?” Gilchrist then asked. Green was dismissed for just five early on day two to further diminish his series average with the bat to just 14.25, despite an excellent Ashes with the ball.
“It just looks to me like he’s so preoccupied by technique and survival that he’s possibly forgetting to watch the ball to score,” fellow commentator and former England captain Michael Vaughan chimed in.
“We saw him last year against India, when he played at his best he was attacking and being aggressive.”
With Khawaja all but indispensable now, the selectors face a difficult decision no matter which way they turn.
Linphoma
Guest
Correct, Imagine if India's batting maestro took a K-Pop band as his "look"? Funky gelled sweeping fringes. A pouting baby faced visage. I have way too much free time on my hand waiting for some activity in South Africa. Rain in Johannesburg in January?
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
That was a good bowling performance by Mitch Marsh.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Unless the match is evenly poised after the completion of both teams' first innings, second innings runs will mean nothing for Harris or Green. Say we lead by 150 and then Harris makes 100 in a team total of 3 declared for 250, those are not impacting runs beyond about 35.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Think you'll find Virat has influenced the grooming tastes of males WAY beyond those just immediately around him.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Why's that? Because Langer dropped Mitch Marsh as a Test incumbent? Or because he recalled Marsh for one Test and despite an away Ashes fiver-for, didn't select him again?
U
Roar Rookie
Green is a good bowler like Watson was. But he has the same problem batting that Watson and Marsh did. Big lumbering front foot down the pitch open to LBs and not playing with soft hands.
U
Roar Rookie
Ussie should’ve changed his surname to Marsh or started playing for WA.
Linphoma
Guest
Nah, I read a story on the Times of India that was based on the premise that King Kohli is no more. Not for the last year. What was once Kohli-Gospel is now, "Oh yeah." People tread wary in Indian cricket circles but the reign of Kohli is questioned.
Micko
Roar Rookie
I agree. His batting issues are just mental I feel: a lack of confidence at this level, and possibly putting a bit too much pressure on himself. He's clearly the real deal in my opinion, but just might take 2-3 years to get it all together at test level.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Weird tangent you went on! :laughing:
Mike
Guest
Difficult selection situation ahead - depending perhaps on second innings efforts for Harris and Green. For me, Green is absolutely most definitely a test standard bowler now. He's getting top order wickets at an amazing economy rate. He has troubled the (was) no.1 batsman in the world rankings. He looks like a test standard no.6 (and his 50+ FC average tells us he can bat) but performances this summer have underwhelmed. It seems it's a mental issue and perhaps we underestimate the pressure involved in being asked to perform at test standard in two disciplines - especially given he's pretty young (early 20s). If Green comes off as a no.6 bat, given his bowling is good enough to be a first drop bowler, then he could be the key to us being successful in Asia. He would provide us with 3 fast bowlers and allow the selection of Lyon and Swepson. His bowling provides Joel Garner type height at the same pace or even faster, that could work in Asia. Height and air-speed. Awesome! Harris is already 30. He's had more than twice as many chances than Green. So many chances and we're still talking about him. As has been shown on TV, his footwork is questionable and there's talk and doubt about whether he is a test standard opener. Harris does not provide any potential key to us doing well in Asia, which is where our next three series are. In other words I don't see any big payoff in persisting with Harris over Green. If Green can start getting his batting up to even 10 or 15 runs below his FC average, then we'll have the best Aussie all-rounder since Keith Miller on our hands. I just can't see what Harris gives us in comparison. Time has shown he is struggling to show any skill that is test standard. The problem with M.Marsh was that neither his batting or bowling got up to test standard. Still, he has had 32 tests, and probably more if some folk have their way, to prove himself. I believe Green has already shown he's a test standard fast bowler. When Green gets firing on both fronts then we can have a formidable team in the Cummins era. Head, Labs, Carey, Cummins, Hoff, Green, Richardson with Warner, Smith, Lyon, Starc probably not lasting as long but phasing out to retirement. Players like Boland may provide a year or two of high quality in a Ryan Harris latter career way, before age catches up with them. Hussey came in at a late age but hit the ground running due to his experience. Rogers the same. Marcus Harris, as an older player, has not hit the ground running and has a lack of foot movement that I think is concerning. In my opinion, Green has to be persisted with and developed. he is a genuine full all-rounder and one of his bows is already definitely to test standard. Ironically, we thought it would be his batting first and not his bowling!
Linphoma
Guest
That kind of shocked me, Kohli hasn't gone for a ton for that long. Just a thought. I look at the Indian team and is their another clean-shaven India team member other than Ashwin? Shubman Gill when he's in is one but that's because he's a boy. He would if he could I dare say. Is this cult thing gone to the extent where the skipper aka alpha male, determines the grooming tastes of those around him? Not saying Virat goes around telling blokes not to shave, but are those blokes saying, "If I want to be that Virat-like thing I should look like that Virat-thing?" Virile thing? Just a thought.