![\"Wobble:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1765544474_453_2ba043562348fe1984eeb6a073b0a58c051cf912.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAustralia\u2019s one big wobble in Brisbane, when Steve Smith, Cameron Green and Alex Carey went a bit whacky on the second night, was an outbreak of needless over-aggression.<\/p>\n
Australia became, for a spell, England. It was the only time they surrendered control of the Test. Once Carey calmed down and the thumbscrews were put back to work, Australia were, once again, Australia. Disrespect the opponent, disrespect the game.<\/p>\n
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Wobble: Brydon Carse bowls Australia\u2019s all-rounder Cameron Green in a reckless period of batting in Brisbane.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Given what has been happening with the other mob, it was surprising that Australia needed to relearn the lesson.<\/p>\n
So how does this affect the big decision on Khawaja?<\/p>\n
At the outset, I\u2019d like to acknowledge that Brisbane was a win for the selectors, and good on them.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m still not convinced that picking Brendan Doggett ahead of Nathan Lyon or Josh Inglis ahead of Beau Webster produced the strongest possible team, but what would I know?<\/p>\n
![\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/7b7e15b8506f80cb1cb2fec6a0d85cdc30cdc518.jpeg\")
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Credit: Letch <\/p>\n
Even Australian players talk the language of KPIs now, and the selectors\u2019 only KPI is to pick a winning team. They put a big fat tick in their box.<\/p>\n
In particular, their choice of Michael Neser was a sensible, evidence-based and successful one, which the player repaid, and the locals relished.<\/p>\n
Is the lopsided state of the series because Australia are that good, or England that bad?<\/p>\n
Fortunately, we don\u2019t have to choose; our only obligation is to enjoy, or not enjoy, what is a zero-sum game in which Australia are as good as England allow them to be, and England are as inferior as Australia have made them.<\/p>\n
The selectors\u2019 only KPI is to pick a winning team. They put a big fat tick in their box.<\/p>\n
In relation to Khawaja, though, there is a key performance impairment about the English pace attack: they\u2019re not as good as it said on the packet.<\/p>\n
That can be measured objectively from Mark Wood\u2019s unfitness, the other bowlers\u2019 cosmopolitan pitch maps, and Jofra Archer\u2019s fickle humours. To be fair to Archer, it is very hard to bowl accurately at extreme pace, and he hasn\u2019t been good enough to execute the skill.<\/p>\n
When he dials down his pace searching for accuracy and rhythm, he is accused of not bending his back; when he bowls flat-out, sprays the ball and gets hit, he is mocked. Based on what we\u2019ve seen, England invested a truckload of faith in a three-wheeler. With match fitness, that of course may change; but it\u2019s Archer, so it may only change for a bit.<\/p>\n
On the available information, England\u2019s new-ball attack is not as fearsome as it appeared for that half-hour in Perth when Khawaja was missing in action with back spasms. He turned out not to be as super-critical to Australia\u2019s survival as had been thought.<\/p>\n
![\"Usman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3524c5ba0ae3d5b73118cd6ca154119fac589331.jpeg\")
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Usman Khawaja during a net session earlier in the month.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n
On the other side of the coin, England\u2019s bowling deficiencies mean that his 39-year-old reflexes are more likely to handle the challenge.<\/p>\n
The only question facing Australia\u2019s selectors is their best line-up to beat England in Adelaide.<\/p>\n