Usman Khawaja says he’s prepared to bat anywhere for Australia
Usman Khawaja has declared himself 100 per cent fit and ready to bat anywhere against India.
Usman Khawaja has declared himself 100 per cent fit and ready to bat anywhere against India.
Khawaja will return to the Test arena at the Adelaide Oval next week after overcoming knee surgery which threatened to crush his summer.
The left-hander posted scores of 41 and 18 as he captained Queensland to an eight-wicket Sheffield Shield win against Victoria at the Gabba on Thursday.
Rated Australia’s best batsman by former Test opener Matthew Hayden, Khawaja will either open or bat at No. 3 as coach Justin Langer mulls over his best 11 for the start of the four-match series.
Khawaja averages 113.25 in five innings opening for Australia and racked up scores of 85, 141 and 3 at the top of the order against Pakistan last month.
The 31-year-old is believed to prefer batting at first drop, where he has played 51 innings for Australia, but was adamant he was happy to slot in wherever he was needed.
“I’m not sure, I haven’t had any chats about it,” he said.
“We’ll cross that bridge whenever I talk to JL (Langer). We’ll figure it out.
“It’s not too much different (opening or batting at three). I was out (in the middle) here second over. It happens all the time batting at three.
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“I can’t count how many times I’ve been in there in the first one, two or three overs.
“Any guy batting in the top order can be there in the first few overs. It’s just a
mindset.
“I’m just happy to play for Australia.”
Langer is tossing up whether to stick with Khawaja as Aaron Finch’s opening partner or blood in-form Victorian Marcus Harris.
Harris appears to have the edge over teammate Peter Handscomb and is likely to earn a baggy green debut in Adelaide.
That would allow Khawaja to return to No. 3, the position usually reserved for the team’s best batsman.
Khawaja said he had overcome surgery to repair his knee after a warm-up mishap in the UAE and was comfortable with his preparation for the Test series.
“I’m feeling really good, everything has gone really well,” he said.
“My knee is feeling great. I can’t complain.
“I felt my decision-making was really good. It was tough work batting out there on the first day, there was a bit happening and the scores showed that.
“I was feeling really good after a five-week break. It’s always a bit weird going back out in the middle because you haven’t been out there in a while and the nets isn’t the same.
“It was nice to get back in the middle and back into routine. I felt really good.
“I would have liked a big score but it’s just a game.”
The first Test against India begins at the Adelaide Oval next Thursday.
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Originally published as Usman Khawaja says he’s prepared to bat anywhere for Australia
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