"Usman Khawaja is a good player against mediocre bowling" - Ian Chappell feels the veteran doesn't deserve an Ashes spot
Former Australian Test captain Ian Chappell feels Usman Khawaja does not merit selection for the Ashes despite his blistering form in the domestic circuit. Chappell disagrees with Mark Waugh's contention that Khawaja is one of the leading contenders to bat at number five.
Khawaja's rich vein of form has seen him compile scores of 174 against the South Australian Redbacks at the Adelaide Oval. The left-hander followed that with 119 against the Tasmanian Tigers, and has averaged 81.50 in three matches in the Sheffield Shield this season.
Usman Khawaja's case for an #Ashes berth is becoming more compelling by the innings. Report from day two in Townsville
cricket.com.au/news/match-rep… https://t.co/xQ4iYml7Ny
Chappell feels Khawaja is terrific against Shield bowlers, but is unsure of him performing as well against a quality England attack. The South Australian highlighted that Khawaja might be on the selectors' radar, but Chappell thinks Khwaja doesn't belong in international cricket anymore.
Chappell told World Wide of Sports in this regard:
"I think everyone knows Usman Khawaja can make hundreds against that standard of bowling. But I'm not convinced that he's going to make it against an England attack. I really think his horse has bolted. Well, he would have in my books."
"So, I don't really see a spot there for him. But the selectors may. I'm not convinced that Khawaja is a good enough player... Khawaja's a good player against mediocre bowling, but against good bowling, I don't think there's much future there."
Khawaja, a veteran of 44 Tests, played his last Test at Headingley during the 2019 Ashes series. The 34-year old's inconsistent run and Marnus Labuschagne's emergence at number three has kept him out of the side since then.
However, Khawaja's consistent outings for Queensland in domestic cricket coupled with Matthew Wade's poor form last summer has put the former back in the reckoning.
"Not many young blokes have pushed and made a lot of runs" - Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell pointed out that owing to a lack of competition for places in domestic cricket, not many players have scored a truckload of runs. The 78-year old added:
"The concern is that you look through the last two or three seasons of Shield cricket and, apart from Cameron Green and Will Pucovski, there's no real young blokes pushing and making a lot of runs."
The former player added that despite the virtual absence of Test regulars in Shield cricket, younger players have failed to capitalise on the opportunity to make a mark.
"And when you consider that the Test players are virtually never there, there's a terrific opportunity to make a lot of runs, and yet none of what you would hope would be the next generation have come through," added Chappell.
While Australia seem favourites for the Ashes, Ben Stokes' late recall have boosted England's chances. However, the tourists haven't won a Test Down Under since January 2011, suffering 4-0 and 5-0 defeats in their last two tours.
💯 for Usman Khawaja. 👏
That's his first Ashes century.
Australia 221/2
📱📻 Join us live 👉 bbc.in/2m49Sum
#bbccricket #ashes https://t.co/vb91IMcVdB
It remains to be seen if Khwaja hits the ground running on his return to the Test arena and helps Australia continue their decade-long unbeaten run at home against England.