Usman Khawaja has been a polarising player over the last 12 months of his career; the Test opener is now 38 years old and has had a lean run with the bat.
After a stellar couple of years over 2022 and 2023 where he averaged 67.50 and 52.60 respectively in 10+ matches each year he has failed to reach even close to those lofty standards he set as he averaged just 25.93 in 2024 across nine matches.
Many see the reason Khawaja should open however in the first Test in Galle is due to his perceived strong play of spin across the subcontinent.
Let’s look at his numbers and figure out if he really is the right man for the job.
His overall test average in Asia is almost out of this world as he averages 54.66, a mark that would have him near the top in all Australian history.
However, this number can’t be met without scepticism as he averages nearly 170 in Pakistan across three matches.
The dead and flat tracks in Pakistan are certainly the reason that his average is so high and often conditions are favourable for batting unlike those in this upcoming Sri Lanka tour.
While his record in Pakistan is amazing and should be a call for celebration they will not be a part of his record against spin-friendly subcontinent decks.
In Sri Lanka, in his past tours, he averages a measly 28 across six matches and 11 innings while only passing 50 once.
Not the record you want for your opener this tour.
Usman Khawaja. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
His most recent tour in Sri Lanka however was a little bit more successful than his first attempts as he mustered up scores of 71, 37 and 29 over his three proper innings (he was 0* off 3 balls in one).
Not a massively impressive record but let’s look at other locations across the sub-continent.
The only other place he has strongly contributed in a series in the sub-continent is India where he played four Tests and has a strong average of 47.57.
These matches were all in 2023 and he had one very impressive innings of 180 while passing 50 two other times on the tour.
The key reason that Khawaja may not deserve his spot against Sri Lanka is his age and how the series will be played.
Australia has the opportunity to have a look five years in the future.
The worst thing that can happen is Australia lose the series, and no one stands out, but with this comes experience and a start to the young player’s Test career.
The best thing that can happen is that young Australians stand out and become dominant test players five years earlier than they would have normally got their chance.
Both of these have clear positives in them that will greatly benefit Australian cricket.
While Khawaja does have an okay record against spin there is no reason he should be playing the first Test over the likes of Sam Konstas.
As much as people want to say that Konstas would struggle in Sri Lanka, even if he does there is no guarantee that Khawaja would be filling up the scoreboard with massive knocks.
Australia should give the 19-year-old an opportunity over 38-year-old Khawaja as a look to the future in this unimportant series should be firmly on the selector’s minds.
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