Australian batter Usman Khawaja says he feels his return to the team was all but assured, while reflecting on a challenging past decade.
Khawaja had lost a straight shootout with Travis Head for a spot in the Australian middle order, but when the latter tested positive to COVID-19 the replacement seemed logical.
“I kind of assumed I was in, I probably shouldn’t, but looking at the team I was obviously the reserve batsman when Heady went down and I was kind of next one there, waiting,” Khawaja said on Fox Cricket ahead of play on day one at the SCG.
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Khawaja said he was going out for a net session when (assistant coach) Andrew McDonald congratulated him on making the side, with both men just assuming what would later become confirmed.
“They told me a couple of days later (that I’d made the team), but it’s a great feeling.”
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Khawaja debuted in the Ashes 11 years ago, and now returns as a much more mature player, having several spells in and out of the national team, and moving states, in the meantime.
“What have I learned? Cricket’s a bloody hard game,” he laughed.
“It’s a game full of up and downs … I love the fact that cricket is a great leveller. I almost feel like it teaches you about life.
“One time you’re on top of the world, everything’s going well, and the next minute you’re just down and out.”
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