Allan Border backs Usman Khawaja to hold his place in the Australian side

Allan Border believes Australian selectors have a bigger call to make on the bowling attack rather than the batting order ahead of the second Ashes Test as he backed Usman Khawaja to maintain his place in the side.

Allan Border has backed under-fire Usman Khawaja to keep his spot at the top of the order this Ashes series but believes Travis Head has what it takes to be a future opener.

Head produced one of the most unforgettable Ashes knocks during the first Test to amplify the pressure on Khawaja, whose career hangs in the balance after another poor outing in Perth.

Australian great and former captain Border, like many across the country, was simply blown away by 31-year-old Head’s inning but believes his best spot is still at five in the short-term.

“Travis Head had just an unbelievable innings … I haven’t seen many better innings myself and I’ve been around a long time,” he said.

“It’s a tough one, but I like where we’re placed, we’ve got the opportunity to go with Head at the top of the order but I wouldn’t be rushing.

“I like leaving him at five, it’s a good role there and if there’s a chance to counterpunch, a la the first Test match, Travis can go and do a job there.

“I think going forward maybe, I just don’t think after the one innings where he was sent in there with a bit of freedom to do what he did.

“I think when you start a Test match and he’s batting first day, is he going to bat like that? I don’t think so.

“He might, if he doesn’t get away with it do we then say ‘he shouldn’t be opening’.

“So I’d be a bit wary about keeping him on as an opener at the moment.”

Instead, Border believes the big selection call headed into the Brisbane Test is over the make-up of the bowling attack, rather than the batting line-up.

Pat Cummins continues to make a last-ditch bid to return ahead of the next clash, while Nathan Lyon bowled just two overs in the first Test and with a pink ball in play at the Gabba, his impact could be limited again.

Lyon was left out of Australia’s most recent day/night clash in the West Indies and bowled just one over in last year’s pink ball Test at the Adelaide Oval against India.

“I’d leave the side as is and just have a look at the fast bowling ranks, who’s in, who’s out, is Pat Cummins coming back, do we need a spinner in a day/night game?” he said.

“It’s tempting to play safe 1-0 up but how good would 2-0 be.

“I’m worried that (Cummins) hasn’t bowled in a match – that bothers me.

“We all know as a sportsman, you can run around a training paddock all day long but you cannot get the same feel as playing actually in a match, even if it’s a club game.

“He’s the sort of bloke who can get through and do a good job fresh without having played a lot of cricket but there is a risk.”

Originally published as Allan Border backs Usman Khawaja to hold his place in the Australian side