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<\/p>\nOn Monday, McDonald was asked directly whether Khawaja would play in Brisbane if his back injury allowed. McDonald offered no guarantee.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a long way out, a lot of information to gather between now and then,\u201d he said. \u201cHopefully Usman is fit and available for selection.\u201d<\/p>\n
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England\u2019s Brydon Carse celebrates the wicket of Australia\u2019s Usman Khawaja.Credit: AP<\/p>\n
Read into that what you will \u2013 about a player who a week ago was one of the first picked.<\/p>\n
Retirement on his own terms, rather than being tapped on the shoulder, may loom as the more palatable option for Khawaja given the age-fitness-form dilemma.<\/p>\n
If he\u2019s not selected in Brisbane, would Khawaja really want to remain in the squad until Sydney?<\/p>\n
Khawaja turns 39 on day two of the Adelaide Test on December 17. Only 25 Australians have played Test cricket after their 39th birthday, and no recognised batter has done so since Bob Simpson in 1977. The last opener was Lindsay Hassett in 1953. The realities \u2013 fading eyesight and slower reflexes \u2013 are inescapable.<\/p>\n
Even if selectors want to keep Khawaja in the side, his back may not allow it. It is the first time he\u2019s had back spasms and he will be tested further this week.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s Khawaja\u2019s numbers, which feel more relevant than ever.<\/p>\n
Since returning to the Test team in 2022, Khawaja has averaged a healthy 46.58 in 41 Tests.<\/p>\n
But since mid-June 2023, he has made one score of more than 90 in 45 Test innings. That innings, 232 in Galle against Sri Lanka, came as Australia made 6-654 with Steve Smith and Josh Inglis also reaching triple figures.<\/p>\n
Khawaja averages 24.35 in his past 10 home Tests.<\/p>\n
Dropping opener Jake Weatherald after scores of 0 and 23 on debut would be harsh, and it hardly resolves the longer-term issue. Weatherald\u2019s willingness to take the game on is valued internally, while Khawaja\u2019s struggles against high-quality pace bowling, particularly right-armers operating around the wicket and angling into him, remain.<\/p>\n
Dropping England\u2019s Jamie Smith in the second innings did not help Khawaja\u2019s cause either, as whispers of his back-to-back-to-back golf rounds (54 holes) emerged.<\/p>\n
If Khawaja had not suffered back spasms, Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg would not be fielding questions on radio about golf.<\/p>\n
![\"Usman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/9bb2caf9fc666ccbaf180eb54e4726b0d0b29d8c.jpeg\")
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Usman Khawaja has scored more than 90 just once in his past 45 Test innings.Credit: AP<\/p>\n
Khawaja, to be fair, has often produced great innings after rounds of golf. The perception, however, is proving harder to change \u2013 just as it was when he missed a Sheffield Shield match last season to attend the Australian Grand Prix<\/a>.<\/p>\n Khawaja was entered to play in an Australian PGA pro-am event in Brisbane on Wednesday \u2013 the day after the scheduled end of the first Test. Khawaja officially pulled out on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean obviously we don\u2019t want him hurt, but I think you need to have a balance between having fun and being outside,\u201d said Australian golf star Min Woo Lee.<\/p>\n \u201cHopefully that\u2019s not the reason for [his injury] … but good on him. We all love golf.\u201d<\/p>\n Mitchell Johnson, Australia\u2019s 2013-14 Ashes hero, was not as open to playing golf just before a Test.<\/p>\n