Australian opener Usman Khawaja is still doubtful for the second Ashes Test on home ground, the Gabba, in Brisbane, three days out from the first day. Khawaja sustained a back spasm on eve of the first Test in Perth, apparently while playing golf. Khawaja took some treatment during the game but missed out on time while fielding and hence had to bat at four in the first innings. Khawaja didn't bat at all in the second innings and his Queensland and Australian teammate Marnus Labuschagne suggested that he has yet to prove his fitness.
"Usman's a high-quality player. You look at his record … what he's done for Australian cricket, especially since he's come back, he's been super consistent, he's been really the rock of at the top there," Labuschagne told reporters before Australia trained. "There's been a lot of talk about how many opening partners he's had over his time.
"But I'm not a selector and whatever happens is all up to people above my pay grade and what they think is the best way for us to win the game and win this series," Labuschagne added. There were murmurs after the first game that Khawaja might be in danger of being left out irrespective of his injury, given how Travis Head substituted for him in the second innings, smashing one of the all-time Ashes knocks, chasing down the 205-run target in the fourth innings while opening the batting alongside the debutant Jake Weatherald.
Khawaja will turn 39 next month and even though he hasn't hinted about his retirement, his lean patch since the Sri Lanka tour has been alarming and Australia moving towards someone like Weatherald, instead of bringing Sam Konstas or Nathan McSweeney back, indicated that the 2023 Test champions have started looking at the future. The final Test in Sydney, in the Ashes, might just be the perfect swansong but Labuschagne didn't dive deeper, while heaping praise on the veteran.
"There's different times where different people may have done that in the past. He's been an amazing player - 85 tests, averaging 45 (43.56) for Australia all around the world. But, once again, it's not up to me.
"I don't think he needs advice. He's 38, he's been around the block a long time. He's got (43) first-class hundreds," Labuschagne said, being optimistic of Khawaja's return to form. Australia are 1-0 ahead and England will be desperate to level the series in the day-night Test at the Gabba with the hosts still being without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in their bowling attack.