Inglis kept England and Root at bay at the Gabba. His next move could seal Khawaja’s fate
While Inglis’ knock could be a game-changing moment, it will be how Khawaja uses the bat that will put the final nail in his Test career.
Khawaja’s place in the Australian Test side was thrown into disarray in the first Test when back spasms prevented him from opening the batting.
Could a back injury and a big two days for Australian batsmen in Brisbane put an end to Usman Khawaja’s Test career?Credit: Getty
Khawaja’s absence resulted in debut Test centurion Travis Head moving to the top of the order alongside Jake Weatherald and Inglis in the fourth innings in Perth, with Inglis settling at No.5.
The trio are known for their aggression and do well against fast bowling; Especially in one session, Head can turn a fight from war to child’s play.
Inglis also performed very well for Australia A against the England Lions and at 30 he still has time to develop into a long-term asset.
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Khawaja, in contrast, lacked the same fluidity at the crease as in David Warner’s 2022 recall, when he amassed 2290 runs at 58.72 in the two-year period before his retirement.
As he approached 39, he showed sensitivity to fast men.
While Australia’s chief selector George Bailey has not revealed whether a line was drawn on Khawaja’s name before his elimination, they are unlikely to stray again if Head, Weatherald and Inglis achieve some success.
And they can take advantage of the best two-day pitch for batting.
Zak Crawley.Credit: access point
England opener Zak Crawley, who made a fluent 76, admitted he was disappointed by the dismal situation.
He said it wasn’t the way he went out that worried him, but rather the fact that he felt comfortable with the way the pitch was going.
“It definitely got easier as the game progressed; I’m not sure if it was about the ball or just getting into the rhythm of the pitch, but after about 10 or 15 overs it definitely got a lot less work,” he said.
