Cricket Legend's Bold Declaration on Australian Batting Order
All-time cricket great Barry Richards has declared that Travis Head can seize the opening position from Usman Khawaja in the Australian batting line-up with one simple statement to stand-in skipper Steve Smith: 'I want to open.' This dramatic suggestion comes as Khawaja's place in the team faces intense scrutiny following a disastrous first Ashes Test in Perth.
Khawaja's Perth Ordeal and Head's Stunning Century
The veteran opener Khawaja, who is nearly 39, found himself at the centre of controversy after reports emerged that he played 18 holes of golf for three consecutive days before the match against England. This was followed by two separate bouts of back spasms that ultimately prevented him from opening the batting at Optus Stadium.
His misfortune became Head's opportunity. Stepping in for the second innings, Travis Head delivered a stellar 123 runs from just 83 balls, a magnificent century that effectively won the Test for Australia and ignited the debate over the team's best opening partnership.
'Travis Head is the man with the power in this call,' Richards told News Corp. 'If he goes up to Steve Smith and says "I want to open", that should be the end of it. It's important that he means it because to do well as an opener you really have to want to do it. If he doesn't, it's another discussion.'
Khawaja's Injury Battle and Brisbane Hopes
Despite the pressure, Khawaja was named in an unchanged squad for the second Test in Brisbane. He has since insisted that he will be able to play in the match without requiring pain-killing injections, revealing he was even prepared to have an epidural had the Perth Test extended to a third day.
Speaking at a fundraiser for his own foundation, Khawaja gave a detailed account of his physical struggle. He was initially unable to open in the first innings due to time spent receiving treatment. Defying warnings from team medical staff that his injury could severely worsen, he took to the field on day two to be available to bat.
The gamble backfired tragically. 'Before I went on the physio said, "Look, you're feeling good now, the slightest movement can make it three, four or 10 times worse, that's the risk",' Khawaja recounted. His fears were realised when he jumped for a ball at slip. 'As I landed, I thought, "Oh no. Please, you're good, it's just mind over matter". Every ball I was trying to get down to, it got worse... I had to call (Alex) Carey over and I was like, "I can't stand up". I walked off the field, and was pretty devastated.'
From the sidelines, he could only watch as Head dismantled the English bowling attack, a performance that has fuelled calls for a permanent change. Khawaja admitted, 'I'm really glad that we got it done that night, because the next day I already had the radiology booked. Next day I was going to get an epidural in my back.'
While the chatter around his position intensifies, Khawaja maintains he is not paying attention to it. He points to his superb record at the Gabba, where he averages 59.37 in the Sheffield Shield over the past four seasons, as a reason for confidence. On the fitness front, he is optimistic, stating that after a failed experiment with a pregnancy pillow, his back has been 'good' in recent days and no further injections are currently needed.
