Australia vs Sri Lanka 2019: Is this the end of the road for Usman Khawaja?
Usman Khawaja is a left-handed top order batsman who plays for Australia. He was picked in the Australian squad to replace the legend Ricky Ponting, and it's safe to say there were a lot of hopes from him at the start of his career.
The 32-year-old batsman has scored more than 2500 Test runs in 40 test matches so far, with a decent average of more than 40. But that may not be enough, as he is currently staring at a wretched run of form that could see him axed from the side.
Khawaja started his international journey with the 2010-11 Ashes series and got his debut in the fifth Test of the series. He scored gritty 37 and 21 runs in the two innings, but England won that match by an innings and claimed the series 3-1.
Khawaja has played some remarkable knocks in his career. His marathon innings of 141 runs off 302 balls helped Australia salvage a draw against Pakistan in 2018, from a near-defeat position. Many cricket pundits applauded it as one of the all-time-great knocks under pressure, and he himself regarded that innings as one of the hardest he ever had to play.
A lot has changed after that series. Khawaja hasn't reached the triple-figure mark after that innings, and is struggling to get the ball off the square.
In the absence of tainted opener David Warner, Khawaja was expected to take up the responsibility in the top order and deliver. But in the current summer, he has managed just 209 runs in nine innings.
In the past, Khawaja was criticized for his lazy-looking technique as he rarely moves his feet well. Those sticky feet have often got him caught behind while chasing wide deliveries. He has struggled a lot against spin too, indicating a weakness in his technique.
In the recent series against India, the spinners dismissed him on four occasions.
In the second Test against Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval, he got out on the third delivery, edging to second slip. Here is a video of his dismissal:
Cricket commentators everywhere are slamming Khawaja for his poor technique now, and expressing their opinions about his selection in the future.
During the match, the commentator Kerry O’Keeffe and former England captain Michael Vaughan stated their doubts about Khawaja's technique, indicating that it was as a sign of worry. Both the commentators were critical of his footwork and said that it seems his feet are frozen, which is highly unusual for a top-order batsman.
Khawaja has a tough path ahead as time is running out for him. His cheap wicket and the brilliant hundred by the incoming batsman Joe Burns, has further raised the alarm bells for him.
With David Warner and Steve Smith expected to be back in the squad after their bans, this might be the end of the road for Khawaja.