Usman Khawaja may test fitness against India in tour match

Usman Khawaja could make his comeback from injury against India in a tour match next week with Australia desperate for him to play in the first Test.

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Usman Khawaja will be at full throttle from as early as Wednesday and in a shock twist in his injury comeback could face India earlier than anyone would have expected.

Australia has not ruled out the possibility their best batsman Khawaja could use India’s tour match against a CA XI side in Sydney next week as his surprise fitness test ahead of the opening Test against Virat Kohli in Adelaide on December 6.

Khawaja is back in the nets and batted against throw downs late last week in Brisbane just three weeks after an operation to repair a meniscus tear in his knee.

The 31-year-old is set to face proper bowlers before the end of the week and all signs are pointing towards him making a stunning recovery to answer Australia’s desperate SOS for the first Test with barely a day to spare.

Test batsman Usman Khawaja has been working hard on his fitness. Picture: AAP

But he will first need a hit-out in a proper game and Australia are deliberating what match would best suit theirs and Khawaja’s purposes for the star to make his return and test out his knee before the intensity of the blockbuster Test series begins.

Khawaja’s hope is to be fit for Queensland’s Shield match against Victoria at the Gabba on Tuesday November 27.

But another option being considered is for Khawaja to face the Indians at the SCG in a game starting a day later – a fixture that has now been boosted from a three-day hit-out to a four-day game at India’s request.

“We can confirm the tour match between the Cricket Australia XI and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground will now be a four-day match, starting on November 28,” said a CA spokesman in a sign of how seriously India are taking their preparations.

“We have worked with the BCCI around a request for additional match preparation for their team ahead of the four-match Test Series against Australia, and were happy to accommodate this by scheduling an extra day as part of this fixture, at the same venue of the fourth Test match of the series.”

Tim Paine fought his way into the Australian line-up for last summer’s Ashes from playing CA XI games against England.

Facing the enemy before the Test series starts is unusual, but playing a tour game against India may be a good result for Australian selectors because it would mean Khawaja would get a strong hit-out while still allowing them to manage his workloads – if necessary – better than they could in a Shield match where CA is committed to re-establishing a hard-nosed integrity to the competition where they don’t want to be pulling players in and out.

Khawaja’s other option would be a Futures League second XI match for Queensland also next week.

Usman Khawaja could play in a tour match against India just days before the first Test in a bid to prove his fitness. Picture: AAP

India had wanted to squeeze a second tour match in between now and the first Test but didn’t have time.

Vice-captain Rohit Sharma said his team were diligently preparing to handle the extra bounce which over the years which had caused them so much distress in Australia.

“It is challenging for all our batsmen but most of our guys have been to Australia before,’’ Sharma said.

“The reason we came down here two days early was to get used to the bounce. I have not played at the new stadium in Perth but Brisbane may be the bounciest wicket in Australia and has always challenged us.

“It is not going to be easy. We understand that. Sometimes when you play Brisbane and Perth it can help you because the extra bounce is similar to wickets I grew up playing on at home.’’

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