Usman Khawaja ruled out of second Ashes Test in Brisbane
Australian selectors have made a blockbuster call less than 48 hours out from the second Test with one star facing the axe.
Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.
The veteran opener was cruelled throughout the series opener as he battled back spasms and on Tuesday night the decision was made to leave him out.
The 38-year-old continues to hampered by the back injury with the Australian selectors ruling him out less than 48 hours out from the coin toss.
Khawaja underwent a net session on Tuesday in a bid to prove his fitness, but he appeared in discomfort and was subsequently ruled out of playing.
Cricket Australia confirmed he will remain with the side as he continues his rehabilitation.
“Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the Ashes Test match against England in Brisbane with a back injury. He has not been replaced in the squad,” a Cricket Australia statement read.
“Khawaja will remain with the team to continue his rehabilitation. He has not been replaced in the squad.”
The Khawaja news comes after England announced one change to its side with Will Jacks replacing the injured Mark Wood.
With Khawaja unable to take his place at the top of the order in the second innings in Perth, Travis Head stepped up to the plate and delivered an innings for the ages to guide Australia to victory.
Khawaja being ruled out opens the door for Head to retain his spot as the opener alongside Jake Weatherald.
If Head is to remain as the opener, Beau Webster could return to the team in the middle order and provide another quality option with the ball in hand.
Josh Inglis is another likely option for the Australian XI for the day/night Test at The Gabba.
Selectors could also go with a left-field option and insert a full-time opener with Campbell Kellaway proving why he is a potential successor to Khawaja with an impressive knock against the England Lions.
The 23-year-old was made to work for his runs, but finished with a stunning 82 during the three-day match in Canberra.
No replacement has been named as of yet for Khawaja. There is also no guarantee he will return to the Australian XI following his recent dry spell with the willow.
In the past two years, Khawaja has only scored one Test century and surpassed 50 on one other occasion.
Khawaja has remained locked in at the top of the order for Australia, but leading the calls for that to change is former Australian women’s captain turned commentator Lisa Sthalekar, who doesn’t want to see Australia make the same mistake as they did with David Warner.
“Make the bold change now by moving past Khawaja. Otherwise, selectors could fall into the same trap that put the Aussie team in this position in the first place,” she wrote in her column for The Nightly.
“They allowed Warner a chance to finish his Test career in front of family and friends at the SCG in 2024.
“Whilst it was a fitting way to say goodbye to one of our great openers, there was a missed opportunity to blood a new opener against a slightly weaker attack of Pakistan, before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and now the Ashes.
“This is the Ashes. Australians are 1-0 up, so just pick your best 11 to press home the advantage in Brisbane, where the conditions are more like a day-night one-dayer anyway, an environment Head thrives in.
“Is it fair to drop Usman? My real question to you all is, is life always fair? In my experience, it isn’t, so why do we try to conjure up happily ever after endings in sport?”
The second Test between Australia and England will get underway on December 4 at The Gabba.
Originally published as Usman Khawaja ruled out of second Ashes Test in Brisbane
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