Should Usman Khawaja be picked for the second Ashes Test? Ben Horne has his say

Usman Khawaja is walking a nerve-wracking tightrope which could result in his Test career being over. But as Ben Horne writes, the likely outcome is the opener getting one more chance.

Usman Khawaja’s greatest obstacle to resuming his career is not Travis Head, but his bad back.

This much appears certain; if Khawaja cannot recover from his back injury in one week’s time, his Test career will be over.

There is very little precedent for a 38-year-old with a questionable form line against express fast bowling dropping out of a team in the middle of a series, only to be brought back, especially if Australia goes 2-0 up in Brisbane.

However, if he is passed fit for the Gabba, the early signs point to selectors backing Khawaja in to survive for Brisbane.

It’s a nerve-wracking tightrope Khawaja is walking but provided he is fit, it looks likely the left-handed veteran will receive the faith of a dressing room that refuses to make knee-jerk reactions.

Selectors have shown a tendency to be prepared to go one Test too long with a trusted performer, rather than cutting him off one Test short.

They believe this helps cultivate a more trusting and cohesive team environment where players aren’t looking over their shoulders.

Last summer it was Marnus Labuschagne who had the axe hovering over him after Australia’s first Test loss to India, but selectors resolved to give him one more chance, and he delivered a fighting half century in Adelaide which put his team back on the path to series victory.

Labuschagne was again under enormous pressure heading into the World Test Championship in June – but was again given the benefit of the doubt.

He failed in that match and was dropped for the West Indies.

Usman Khawaja is more likely to retain his spot in the Australian side than be left out if he is passed fit for Brisbane.

Khawaja’s circumstances are very different given he’s approaching his 39th birthday and his back spasms in Perth opened the door for Head to step into his place and deliver one of the greatest Ashes innings of all time.

However, Australia won the Test and are always unlikely to change a winning team unless injury forces them to – particularly when the player in question has 16 Test hundreds and overall has arguably been Australia’s most reliable top-order performer since the last time England was out here.

Australian coach Andrew McDonald may not have given Khawaja any guarantees for Brisbane when he gave a press conference on Tuesday, but he did indicate selectors are not quite leaping into the idea of Head as a permanent opener.

“I think it gave us a little bit of a lens potentially to the future in terms of adjusting batting orders in second innings, which is something that we have discussed, to be able to put different people in different positions with the scenario that was presented,” McDonald said.

“…“It’s a conversation that we have had. We’ve had a conversation around Travis opening the batting for a long period of time, and Trav has been on the record this week and previously around that also.

Khawaja is now likely to be playing his last Test series, at the very least.

“I suppose now that it’s out there, yeah, happy to talk about it. Will we do it? If it presents at the right time, potentially.”

McDonald is confident Khawaja will be fit for Brisbane, while former Australian captain Michael Clarke, who is no stranger to back spasms himself, is adamant he will be over the issue by Brisbane.

There is a slight unknown in the fact this is the first time Khawaja has ever had back spasms and Australia’s medical team is undertaking further investigations to make sure there aren’t any bigger issues at play.

Khawaja’s biggest worry leading into the Gabba is his back, not someone else taking his place – but if he doesn’t make runs in his home Test his stresses will quickly expand.

If he hasn’t already played his final Test, it’s difficult to see how his career goes past the Sydney Test.

The end is nigh for Khawaja, but the likelihood is we will see him in a baggy green cap at least one more time.

Originally published as Should Usman Khawaja be picked for the second Ashes Test? Ben Horne has his say