‘I don’t think we can join the dots’: Call on Usman Khawaja’s fitness to be made in coming days as Ashes spotlight goes on opening spot

An untimely injury, a superb Test ton and a Sheffield Shield century could all prove telling as selectors prepare to make a huge call on Usman Khawaja.

Test coach Andrew McDonald says more information will need to be gathered before Australian officials make a call on Usman Khawaja’s availability for the second Ashes Test as calls continue for Travis Head to remain at the top of the order.

Khawaja, 38, battled back spasms during the first Test in Perth that prevented him from opening the batting in Australia’s first innings because he’d been off the field for too long.

That forced a reshuffle with Marnus Labuschagne forced to open alongside debutant Jake Weatherald, while a flare-up in the second innings prevented Khawaja from opening and thrust Head into the role where he blasted one of the great centuries.

The early finish to the match means the veteran opener has plenty of time to recover ahead of the second Test at the Gabba, with a call on his fitness to be made in the coming days.

Usman Khawaja is under pressure to keep his spot in the side. Picture: AP Photo/Gary Day

“I’m not sure where he’s at medically, I know that he was going to return home,” McDonald said on Monday.

“There were discussions around further investigation to whether it was more serious than what we sort of first anticipated, so we’ll work through that.

“We’ll get a squad together. We’ll step through everything that we normally step through, and everyone’s going to be forecasting forward. We get to camp in six days’ time.

“It’s a long way out, a lot of information to gather between now and then, and hopefully Usman is fit and available for selection.”

Khawaja turns 39 next month but McDonald refused to draw a line between his age and the nature of the injury, with any potential omission likely to end his Test career.

“I think any time you spasm, it’s a result of something going on in your back, so I think that further investigation is just due diligence around that. You spasm for a reason,” he said.

“He hasn’t had it before, so that’s what will probably entail a bit more investigation.

“This (injury) is just one of those ones that can happen. These things can happen, and I don’t think we can join the dots to something around his age.

“Hopefully, in three days he’ll be back into work and look forward to seeing what that looks like.”

There are calls for Travis Head to remain opener after his brilliant knock in Perth. Picture: Paul Kane - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images

The injury gave selectors a glimpse into the future, with Head showing he can handle the role in Australian conditions, although his aggressive approach is perfectly suited to the middle order.

Khawaja’s Queensland teammate Matt Renshaw also sent a message to selectors with a sparkling 112 under lights in the Sheffield Shield match at the Gabba on Sunday.

It’s now up to selectors to make a huge call so early in the series, with the fitness of skipper Pat Cummins another issue to consider heading into the Brisbane Test starting on December 4.

“I think Australia would be taking a step backward if they were to stop Travis Head opening,” former Test opener Simon Katich told SEN.