Matt Renshaw calls for Usman Khawaja to be retained for Ashes Test at Gabba
Queensland star Matt Renshaw has backed veteran Usman Khawaja to keep his Test spot despite it potentially ending his own Ashes selection hopes.
Matt Renshaw has called for the retention of veteran opener Usman Khawaja in Australia’s team for the second Ashes Test even if it ends his own chance of playing against England at the Gabba.
Renshaw has put himself in the frame for a Test recall with some impressive Sheffield Shield form for Queensland, including a century this week against Victoria in a pink-ball clash in Brisbane.
It was extremely timely considering next week’s Test at the Gabba will also be a pink-ball, day-night affair.
Khawaja’s place is in jeopardy due to back injury that severely affected his contribution to Australia’s first Test win in Perth, where Travis Head scored a match-defining and swashbuckling ton as an opener when his 38-year-old teammate couldn’t bat.
There have been some calls for Head to stay at the top of the order, while others want him to move back to his No.5 position which could leave an opening vacancy for Renshaw if selectors to call time on his Test career.
However, Renshaw said his Bulls teammate Khawaja should be retained for the Gabba Test.
“He’s got an average of over 40 (43.56) in Test cricket, he’s played 85 games, he’s one of our best batters – he’s one of the best cricketers that Australia’s ever produced,” said the 29-year-old left-hander, who played the most recent of his 14 Tests in February 2023 against India in Delhi.
Renshaw said he was now handling the speculation about a Test recall “a lot better” than in the past.
“There’s a lot more calm in my life, a lot more things that are important,” he said.
“The old Matt Renshaw wouldn’t have had to go home, change nappies or wake up in the morning and go to a kids’ sport game.
“Stuff like that has definitely changed my perspective on a lot of things, so I’m just enjoying where my life is at the moment.”
Renshaw said all but abandoning social media had also helped with his new outlook.
“It’s a lot easier now that I know how to block things off on social media. I can’t see anything, I can’t see any news, especially when I don’t want to,” he said.
“It’s nice being able to get that away, and not have to go in there and sit down and read everything every night.
“I’ve got a lot more important things to do in my life.”
Renshaw’s relaxed outlook allowed him to enjoy playing golf in Wednesday’s Australian PGA Pro-Am alongside Wallabies hooker Josh Nasser, former All Blacks star Israel Dagg and Victorian professional David Micheluzzi.
“He (Micheluzzi) was in spots I’d never seen in the middle of the fairway a lot of the time, so hopefully he has a good week,” Renshaw said.
Originally published as Matt Renshaw calls for Usman Khawaja to be retained for Ashes Test at Gabba
One two-day Ashes Test down, time for England to take a break
