Nineteen wickets fell on the first day in the England match, after 17 were also taken between Australia and India on day one of the Perth Test last year.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a fundraising lunch for his foundation in Brisbane, Khawaja sarcastically said: ‘”Nineteen wickets on the first day and about 20 people got hit. That’s a great wicket, that seems real fair.<\/p>\n
“The same thing happened last year in the India Test. It’s just that day-one wicket, the ball just does not react.<\/p>\n
“Steve Smith’s by far the best cricketer I’ve ever played with, and he’s missing the middle of his bat by a long way.<\/p>\n
“He does not miss the middle of his bat, [but] he’s getting hit in the elbow.<\/p>\n
“So, day-one wicket at Perth is a piece of shit, I’m happy to say that. Has been last year, it was this year.”<\/p>\n
Last week’s Ashes series opener lasted just 847 balls, with only a 1932-33 Test against South Africa at the MCG lasting less time for a result in Australia.<\/p>\n
England’s batting has been labelled reckless<\/a> and “brainless” by former England opener Geoffrey Boycott, with the all-out aggressive approach at threat of losing its appeal, although Australia’s first innings of 132 was the lowest total in the game and was saved in its chase by the uber-aggressive Travis Head<\/a>.<\/p>\n Back spasms forced Khawaja from the field for long periods of the first Test. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)<\/p>\n But Khawaja was adamant the Perth pitch was still not good enough, with the 38-year-old’s main issue being variable bounce.<\/p>\n “You can’t really predict up and down. Up and down is the hardest. Sideways is a little bit easier,” Khawaja said.<\/p>\n “But up and down, your hands can’t catch up.<\/p>\n “They do get better. Day two, day three, and then day four, they start to crack up and cure again.<\/p>\n “So whenever we play at Perth, it’s one of the few places we win the toss, bat first, hoping that we can bat again maybe at the end of day two and into day three.”<\/p>\n Cricket Australia defended the pitch, adamant during the week that the “very good” rating justified their belief the wicket created a “fair balance between bat and ball”.<\/p>\n ABC Sport Daily podcast<\/a><\/p>\n ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that’s making headlines.<\/p>\n Khawaja’s comments came after player of the match Mitchell Starc and former opening partner David Warner said last week that Australia’s players wanted the Test summer to start at the Gabba in Brisbane.<\/p>\n Perth is locked in to host Australia’s first Test of next summer as well when New Zealand tour, before Adelaide is expected to take on the role in 2027-28. The opener is set to return to Brisbane after the Olympics in 2032.<\/p>\n Khawaja’s back spasms<\/a> meant he was unable to open for Australia in either innings in Perth, allowing for Head to score a match-winning century in the fourth-innings chase<\/a>.<\/p>\n Khawaja is confident he will be fit to play in Brisbane with his back having improved, while also insisting he had paid no attention to calls for him to be dropped from the side and Head moved to open full time.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n