Australia should drop Usman Khawaja to retain Travis Head as an opening batter for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, said former Australian captain Mark Taylor — as Head revealed “touchy subjects” around the call on the veteran left-hander.
Head smashed a brilliant century to power Australia to victory in the series opener in Perth, after putting up his hand to open with Khawaja injured (back spasms).
Taylor, a champion Test opener, said that Australian selectors should not be changing the formula after Head’s heroics.
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“I think they’ve got a problem already solved for them with Travis Head playing so well,” Taylor told Nine News, in an interview set to air on Friday per the SMH.
“He put his hand up, he wanted to do it, he did a great job and guided Australia to a famous victory. If I was in the selection panel, I’d be saying, ‘I’m not changing that. Travis Head is my man’.
“It would be a very difficult decision [to axe Khawaja]. It often is. That’s why you have selectors. It is a professional cricket team. At the end of the day, you’ve got to pick what you believe is the best team for today with an eye to tomorrow. That’s why I think I would not be touching it [as it stands].”
Head hit 123 from 83 balls and reached three figures in just 69 balls. He put on 85 for the first wicket with new opener Jake Weatherald (23) as Australia chased down 205 in the fourth innings at Perth Stadium.
Khawaja, meanwhile, turns 39 next month and has averaged just 24.35 from his past 10 home Tests. His career average is 43.56 from 85 Tests and he has enjoyed an incredible second act to his career since a recall in 2022 — but now faces an abrupt end.
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Ex-Test opener David Warner revealed this week that he’d had discussions with Head about taking the role as far back as 2022. Head indicated that he had been keen on the role for some time, but mindful of Khawaja’s standing — branding the current dynamic “touchy”.
Remarkably, it was Head’s Covid-19 positive ahead of the 2022 SCG Test that opened the door for Khawaja to launch his stunning comeback. The left-hander made twin centuries in the Ashes finale against England that year.
“I’ve been open in the background about where I’ve stood with it,” Head said on Triple M on Thursday, having been adamant that he wanted to open in the second innings in Perth.
“I’m being completely respectful to Uzzy as well. He averages just under 45 over 85 Test matches, so he’s done an incredible job and since I got Covid four years ago, he’s been unstoppable for us. So there’s some touchy subjects in it all. Let’s see where we land, but ultimately we’ve just got to think about how we’re going to win the next Test and how we win the next four.”
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Usman Khawaja walks off the field after his dismissal on day one of the first Ashes Test.Source: AFP
Chief selector George Bailey had his mettle questioned before the series by iconic former captain Steve Waugh, who said he had avoided making tough calls. Taylor said that the Khawaja decision was a test of the selection panel’s stomach.
“I think it probably is, yeah. We don’t know if Usman is available or not, so that might be taken out of their hands. If it isn’t, I would be making that tough call,” he said.
“We’ve talked for three months about who was going to open up with Usman Khawaja. It was finding that combination. Travis Head’s now done it nine times and averaged over 60. He’s now shown he can do it not just over in India or Sri Lanka, but here in Australia.
“That combination he has with Jake seems to be a very good one, albeit only one innings, but it looks a very good one. To me, that is problem solved. It also took a bit of pressure off Jake.”
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Taylor’s thinking was backed by fellow Australian great turned top coach Jason Gillespie. The champion paceman said that Josh Inglis should be firmly in the selectors’ thinking to take Head’s usual No.5 spot; from three Tests, the wicketkeeper/batter already boasts a century batting in that position, from his very first innings (against Sri Lanka).
“I find it hard to see how Usman Khawaja comes back into the side at the top of the order,” said Gillespie on BBC World Service’s Stumped podcast.
“The Australian selectors will think long and hard about Travis Head opening again.
“If Head doesn’t open, I’d actually be thinking about Josh Inglis. Or Josh Inglis bat at five and Travis Head opens. It would be one of two ways I look to go personally.
“The fitness of Usman Khawaja will be debated and discussed a lot but for me I think either Travis Head or Josh Inglis is probably the man to open for Australia.”
Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann also said after the first Test that Khawaja “might say it’s time to retire” given what happened in Perth.
“We needed him out there facing the first ball,” Lehmann told the ABC.
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke said that he thought Khawja would be retained.
“I still like Head at No. 5 to be honest,” Clarke told CODE Sports.
“I cannot see the selectors making a change for the second Test. I think they will keep the faith with Uzzie. He has been at the top of the order for a while.
“I think Khawaja stays at the top of the order, and I do not think the Aussies are making any changes. They will stick with the same XI, assuming Cummins and Hazlewood are still not fit.”
The Australian XI may not be finalised until the day before the Gabba Test, starting next Thursday, but a squad may be named as early as today (Friday).
England captain Ben Stokes speaks with coach Brendon McCullum in Perth.Source: Getty Images
MCCULLUM FACING AXE WITH ASHES WIPEOUT: HEALY
England coach and ‘Bazball’ architect Brendon McCullum is facing the axe if his team lurches to a heavy Ashes series defeat, Australian great Ian Healy says.
Having started with a stunning eight-wicket defeat in Perth inside two days, the Poms are under huge pressure heading into the second Test in Brisbane.
If things go from bad to worse, Healy believes that McCullum is in the firing line, paying the price for his stubborn adherence to all-out attacking cricket.
“I think the coach would have to go because they have outright flat-batted any advice from others who know the history of the game and what you should do in certain conditions,’’ Healy said on SEN Radio.
“They have taken upon themselves to do it themselves and if it doesn’t work they will be in trouble,’’ Healy said.
“You have got to pull the reins in. They were warned their preparation does not work in Perth. If you want to play this way you better get better at it because you are up against the conditions, a good Australian bowling attack, and history.
“You have to have a bit of ticker and common sense among what they are trying endlessly.
“The coach would go first before the captain. because [Ben] Stokes is a world class player and will be performing I am sure even if they are performing that badly.
“England nearly sucked Australia in to playing their way but England need to play the hard way rather than the two day slogging. Former English legends are piling into England rightly so because they have been dismissed as has-beens and irrelevant from a team who keep highlight how respectful of the game’s history.’’