Cricket: Cricket-Australia’s Khawaja looks beyond stop-gap Sydney role

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SYDNEY (Reuters) – While Usman Khawaja is able to fill in for Travis Head within the fourth Ashes check towards England, the veteran Australia batsman hopes his wouldn’t be a stop-gap role this yr.

Head will miss the Sydney contest, which begins on Wednesday, after testing constructive for COVID-19, and Khawaja is ready to play his first check in additional than two years.

Khawaja is conscious that Head, whose match-winning 152 within the Brisbane opener set the tone for Australia’s unassailable 3-0 lead within the collection, is more likely to reclaim the spot within the last check in Hobart however believes he can nonetheless contribute to Australia.

“It’s a kind of issues the place even when I do play, it’s going to solely be for one recreation,” Khawaja informed Cricket Australia (CA).

“I perceive that scenario … hopefully I can go on the market and rating 100 and do nicely for the group within the absence of ‘Heady’.”

“Even if that does not occur, there’s a whole lot of cricket nonetheless to return up,” he stated.

Australia will tour Pakistan in March-April and Khawaja hopes to be a part of the squad.

“I’ll doubtlessly have one recreation for Australia right here, however even when that does not occur, I do know there’s nonetheless …a whole lot of cricket on the subcontinent which I really feel I’m very suited too.”

“I’m simply placing my head down, ensuring I’m working actually exhausting and doing the very best I can for Australia each time I get the chance.”

Should he get that in Sydney, the Queensland captain is assured of profiting from it regardless of sitting out the primary three matches of the collection.

“It’s all the time nicer while you’re coming off video games. I have not performed for in all probability a month now, however it should not take too lengthy.

“If I play and get on the market, bat for half an hour and get into it, I ought to discover that sync once more.”

Khawaja turned 35 final month and stated he felt match sufficient to hold on.

“I nonetheless really feel fairly younger in my head. As lengthy as that is there, I nonetheless have the fireplace spark and so long as the physique’s holding up…I’ll maintain enjoying the sport.”

Cricket Australia confirmed all squad members and assist employees returned detrimental COVID-19 outcomes from Friday’s testing.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi: Editing by Neil Fullick)



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