India vs Australia | Usman Khawaja likely to be match fit ahead of Adelaide Test

11/20/2018

In what has come as a welcome news for the Australian team, Usman Khawaja is almost fit to play the next month's Adelaide Test against India. Khawaja suffered a torn meniscus during Australia's Test series against Pakistan in October in the UAE and hasn’t played any competitive matches since then.

During a throwing drill in Abu Dhabi, Khawaja picked up the injury to his knee and his participation in the India series was in severe doubt. Thankfully for him, he hadn’t re-torn his Anterior Cruciate Ligament that he had first damaged in 2014. But the injury was anyway significant and was suspected to keep him away from the series against India - a team he has had a terrible Test record. However, careful consultation and sufficient amount of strength training helped him to be ahead of schedule in his recovery.

"It's going pretty well so far, just over two weeks, ran at 100 per cent yesterday on the treadmill, hopefully run outside tomorrow, so progressing well so far," Khawaja said, reported Cricket.com.au.

The southpaw is eying Queensland's Sheffield Shield match against Victoria from November 27 in Brisbane or a Futures League match to prove his fitness for the opening Test against India starting on December 6 in Adelaide. Otherwise, he may take the option of playing for Cricket Australia XI against India in a four-day tour match starting 28th of November at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Khawaja, who is known for his weakness against spin, buried the demons in UAE with a well-crafted 141 that saved the Dubai Test for Australia.