Usman Khawaja’s stunning comeback to red-ball cricket

Usman Khawaja was born in Pakistan but he moved to Australia along with his family at a very young age. Very few people would give up a career as a qualified pilot to go with their passion. However, Khawaja was such a rarity and he chose cricket as his profession. The left-hander learned the tricks of the game at Randwick Petersham, a club on the outskirts of New South Wales. His talent and potential was evident from his start in domestic cricket. He made his first-class debut for New South Wales against Victoria in 2008 and he shined on his debut. Khawaja scored 85 while batting with tail-enders and displayed a maturity way beyond his age. A rock-solid defense and good footwork have been key elements in his career so far. 

He earned another recall to the Test squad in 2015 after the retirement of Michel Clarke and Chris Rogers. From 2015 to 2019, he played 35 Tests scoring 2510 runs scoring at 44.82 with eight centuries and performed better in this phase of his career. The improvement in his game was evident from the stats but the batter was unfortunate to be on the sidelines for the next couple of years. His third phase began this year only when he has made a stunning comeback to Test cricket with a marvelous performance. 

The third and likely final phase of his Test career has been glorious to say the least. The left-hander has been unleashing his class and talent on almost every pitch marking his return to the red-ball setup. Khawaja made a comeback in the Sydney Test of the Ashes 2021/22 and is working tirelessly to score runs in the longest format of the game. Ever since he played against England in his comeback fixture, he has plundered 751 runs from five matches at an unbelievable average of 125.16. That also includes five centuries which is terrific. 

He registered scores of 137 and 101* in his comeback matchmaking a strong contention for the opening slot. His comeback century gave a selection headache for the selectors but he was preferred with his form and the rock-solid defense he possessed. Aged 35, he also showed that he still has the potential to give his best at the highest level. The next match was disappointing for him with scores of 6 and 11 but the next series against Pakistan was his best version. 

Khawaja has managed to play just 49 Tests since his debut in 2011. He hasn’t been able to establish himself as a key player of the team in any format but this is the golden chance for Khawaja. Plenty of skill, patience, and composure have helped him establish himself as a batter of high class but now the left-hander needs to add a factor of longevity to his career.  He can optimize his current form and can cement his place in the Test squad as an opener.  A batting unit including in-form Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschgane and Steve Smith will be lethal for any bowling attack in the world.