Ashes was first time I got dropped when I didn’t feel out of form, reveals Usman Khawaja
Usman Khawaja, who was unceremoniously axed from the Aussie team mid-way through the Ashes, has revealed that it was the first time he got dropped when he actually found himself in a good space. Khawaja was dropped for the last two Tests after failing to register a fifty in the first three Tests.
Shockwaves were sent around the Australian camp when it was announced that Khawaja was going to be dropped for the Old Trafford Test, after subsequently having failed to convert his starts in the first three Tests. The middle-order batsman, despite captaining the side and scoring 72 in a tour match prior to the fourth Test, was dropped in favour of Marcus Harris, a decision which turned a few heads.
Now, the 32-year-old has revealed that it was the first time that he was dropped from the team despite having felt good about his game. While he did not set the series alight, Khawaja still managed scores of 23, 36 and 40 in the first three Tests, only failing to convert the starts into big scores.
"It was the first time I got dropped when I didn't actually feel that out of nick. "I was in a really good place and I felt really good whilst I was in England both for the World Cup and even for those Test matches," Khawaja told cricket.com.au.
"I didn't get the big score but getting 40 (in the first Test at Edgbaston) and 36 (in the second at Lord's) in tough conditions, I felt really good. I got a couple of fifties in the tour games too. I felt like I was hitting the ball really well, but it was what it was, so it had no lingering effects for me coming in," he added.
On his return, the veteran batsman stuck an impeccable 138 for Queensland in the Marsh ODI Cup and has now stated that all forms of cricket is still on his radar. With him pipped to slot straight back into the Aussie Test team thanks to the shortcoming of his teammates, Khawaja believes that his sole focus will be on scoring runs and that selection will take care of itself should he do so.
"All forms of cricket for Australia are always on my radar. As I've said before, I don't like to look too far ahead, always try and stay in the moment, try to do what's right for Queensland.
"Selection will take care of itself, good or bad, or whatever. For me it's just about enjoying being back at home, I haven't been home a lot the last 18 months," he said.
24-year-old Sam Heazlett, who made his ODI debut for Australia in early 2017 against New Zealand, has started the domestic season off with a bang, scoring a hat-trick of fifties for the Queenslanders. Khawaja, who has opened the batting with Heazlett this season, heaped praise on the youngster, who has scored no less than 209 runs in just three matches so far this season.
"He's doing it every game, not just a fifty here and there, and he did it for us last year, too," Khawaja said of Heazlett.
"His development is really nice to see. When he first started for us he was batting in the middle order, so he's got a promotion and doing it really well. He had really clear plans in the off-season on what he was trying to work on. He's always had his head switched on, he's a very motivated young fella so it's nice to see him get runs because he works as hard as anyone.
"It's nice to see him being that consistent because that's what you want from your top order players. And to top it off he's really good in the field, he's one of the fastest people I've ever seen in the field. He's a good all-round package to have and he's working on his off-spinners, too," Khawaja signed off.
Queensland’s next matchup will be against Victoria at the Junction Oval on Tuesday.
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