Image courtesy of: The Guardian
Khawaja is edging ever closer to representing Australia
While his recent scores of 51, eight, a duck, 29 not out and six for Australia A may not look like a man in form, Usman Khawaja is getting closer and closer to his dream of representing Australia once again after spending more than 18 months on the sidelines.
Even if he does not realise it, Khawaja’s chances of getting into the Test squad are being fast tracked by the other members, especially opening batsman David Warner, who was recently suspended till the first Ashes Test on July 10 for punching England’s Joe Root.
However, both Shane Watson and Phillip Hughes are helping as well as they look to be treasure hunters on a quest to find the priceless runs they cannot get.
With Test captain Michael Clarke also suffering from chronic back pains, Khawaja’s chance of playing for Australia again could come as early as the first Ashes Test against England in Nottingham.
“I’m extremely hungry,” Khawaja said. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it before. Every time you go out and play for any team you want to strive to do your best and obviously playing for Australia is the pinnacle for anyone. But in saying that, there’s a lot of time between now and the start of the first Test. I’ve got to keep my head down and go out there and score as many runs as I can because ultimately that’s what it’s all about for me.”
However, Khawaja will have to prove his form with the bat before the national selectors even consider including him in the side for the first Ashes Test.
“Runs never hurt, time in the middle doesn’t hurt at all; getting a hundred, getting 200 always helps,” Khawaja said. “But when you get back out every time you start a new innings it’s a different game, it’s got nothing to do with what you scored the day before, the game before, you’ve got to start afresh. Like any other batsman time in the middle is invaluable but in saying that, I think you’ve got to take every game as it comes and I’m pretty confident the way I’m hitting them right now and pretty confident a few runs are around the corner.”
Khawaja also noted that coach Darren Lehmann had helped encourage him during tough times and had also saved his career by convincing him to move to Queensland.
“He’s been awesome, he’s my coach in Queensland, I get along with him very well,” Khawaja said. “I love the way he goes about his business, he’s tough but he’s always having fun. One of the best things about him is he’s got a really good cricket brain, and you just can’t buy that. He’s had so much experience, he’s played 300-400 first-class games, and the way he talks about cricket he simplifies things. I think he’s got a lot to offer Australian cricket in years to come.”
However, Khawaja has not exactly been in Cricket Australia’s good books in the past few months as he was one of four players axed for the third Test against India in March for failing to complete a homework assignment set by then coach Mickey Arthur.
“I’d never got in trouble much during high school, let alone university,” Khawaja said. “Never failed a course at uni, so it was a bit weird for me.
“It was tough but I knew the sooner I got over it, the sooner I could get on with it. What had been done had been done, being part of Australia is what everyone wants to do and playing Test match cricket is what everyone wants to do. I’d give my left arm to play cricket.”