Usman Khawaja is set to resume day two of the third Test against India unbeaten on 19, and several cricketing legends believe the brief period on day one suggested the veteran is due to pick up right where he left off.
While navigating the strong Indian attack with new partner Nathan McSweeney sees Australia at 0/28 after 13 overs, Brett Lee and Ravi Shastri believe that the star will regain form at his home ground.
Calls to drop Khawaja had been growing following Australia’s poor showing in Perth, and while the side overall regathered momentum well in Adelaide, individual scores of 8, 4, 13 and 9 not out paint a bleak period for the Queenslander.
Speaking on Fox Sports, Lee admitted that while Khawaja is nearing the end of his professional career, he still has plenty of runs left to score – but this innings is an opportunity he cannot afford to miss.
Usman Khawaja in action on day one at The Gabba. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“It’s pretty cut throat at the moment, isn’t it? We’re hearing Usman Khawaja coming towards the end of his career … that’s what they’re saying in the press,” Lee said yesterday during the rain delays.
“But I don’t really believe it, I don’t read into it too much.
“The signs are good for Usman Khawaja … (but) he needs the rhythm tomorrow to get back into his game and I think if he gets the opportunity he might get a big one.”
Despite the lean international form, the Sheffield Shield has been a good hunting ground in 2024 for Khawaja, scoring two half-centuries in in three matches, while scoring an additional half-century in the one-day cup.
Lee’s fellow co-host Ravi Shastri backed up the Australian legend’s comments, believing that the departure of Warner is likely to affect him more than any other player – and that he has needed time to adjust with McSweeney alongside him.
“It does affect you big time,” Shastri said.
“A lot of the pressure is taken off you as a batsman (when) you can play your own game, leave a lot of balls because David would attack at the other end.
“There’s a player with intent, and the scoreboard will be ticking along.”
It is this reason, according to Shastri, why India likely opted to bowl first, sensing the new partnership between Khawaja and McSweeney could be taken advantage of, adding pressure to the lower order.
“When runs are not coming at both ends, that’s one of the reasons why India must have opted to field first because they could have sensed an opportunity,” he explained.
“The top order hasn’t scored some runs, let’s make some early inroads and put pressure on the middle order.”
Play is set to resume on day two on time, amidst humid, overcast conditions. Forecasts for rain during day two have been lowered from yesterday’s high expectations.
Australia ‘has their villain’ for the summer in Siraj
There may have only been 13 overs on day one, but it didn’t stop the Gabba crowd from letting Mohammad Siraj know exactly how they felt about him.
Hostilities have grown towards the fast bowler following his send-off of Travis Head in Adelaide – for which he received a 20 per cent fine, while Head was sanctioned and awarded one demerit point for his retort back.
While discourse has swelled since the event, with commentators on both the Indian and Australian front both condemning and defending the fast bowler for his aggression, the Australian cricketing public seems to have made up their mind on him.
Siraj has become the villain of the summer, with the crowd booing the fast bowler heavily when he got the ball in the second over to bowl.
So notable was the boos copped by Siraj, the SEN cricket commentary team has proclaimed that Australian cricket “have their villain” online, while other pundits, especially Indian supporters, believe this will only drive the fast bowler more to win.
Siraj is expected to pick up where he left off – and the crowd likely will too – when play resumes.
When it rains, it pours – especially for Cricket Australia
Day one of the Gabba Test is set to cost Cricket Australia millions of dollars, with punters entitled to a matchday refund.
Day one of the Test was billed as a full house, with a confirmed official attendance of 30,145. However, with just 13.2 overs bowled in the day, the crowd barely got to see any cricket, with over 40mm of rain falling across the day.
CA policy is for full refunds to be awarded to patrons for any match or day’s play where fewer than 15 overs are bowled, meaning had just ten more balls been bowled by India, fans would have been left out of pocket despite seeing far fewer than the slated 90 overs that constitutes a full day.
Should fans claim the refund, the result will likely see Cricket Australia lose millions of dollars – with one estimate proclaiming the first day may have cost the governing body at least $12,500 per pall.
Fortunately, day two promises to be a much better at the Gabba, with rain and weather forecasts easing.
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