"It's a huge call to make" - Ricky Ponting feels Usman Khawaja's comeback century is not enough to keep his place
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting feels Usman Khawaja inevitably has to cop an axe when Travis Head storms into contention. Ricky Ponting thinks Usman Khawaja's comeback hundred in the ongoing Sydney Test may not save his place as Travis Head has been brilliant.
Usman Khawaja put Australia in the driver's seat, scoring a gritty hundred on day two of the fourth Ashes Test. The southpaw, slotting for Travis Head and playing his first Test since 2019, played a crucial knock to prevent Australia from wobbling. Khawaja made 137 off 260 deliveries.
Usman Khawaja on breaking out the @KingJames 'Silencer' celebration after his Test century .... and why it wasn't just people in the crowd booing Pat Cummins as he hogged the strike!
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Speaking to cricket.com.au, Ricky Ponting observed that Travis Head batted brilliantly in Brisbane and Adelaide, doing precisely what the team needed of him. Although the Tasmanian backs Head in Australia's strongest eleven, he feels Khawaja's form makes them stronger. Ponting said:
"Travis has been outstanding in the series so far. In fact, that's the best I've ever seen him bat, in Brisbane, and then the way he carried that over into that little cameo he played in Adelaide when his team needed him to go out and score quickly.
On whether he thinks Usman Khawaja has done enough to warrant a regular spot in the test side, Ponting said:
It just happens, it's a huge call to make. But you've got to go back to what your first picked team was, because at the start of the series it was the strongest XI that Australia could put out. What it does do is just reaffirm in Usman's own mind that he's good enough for international level still and gives selectors the ammunition they need for future teams they're picking."
Khawaja shared vital partnerships with Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to drive Australia to a formidable total. The veteran could be highly significant to Baggy Green's chances in this year's subcontinental tours.
"He's been a bit misunderstood as a player and as a person throughout his career" - Ricky Ponting
Ponting dissected Khawaja's career, saying inconsistency has been an issue and has contributed to criticism. However, the 47-year old hailed the Pakistan-born cricketer's ability to stand up in challenging times.
"He's been a bit misunderstood as a player and as a person throughout his career because of how how easy and laconic and laid back he can make batting look at different times. That's probably been something that a lot of people have held against him. But if you watch the way that he's played today and look back at some of the other times in his career when things have been really difficult, more often than not he's found a way to get the job done for himself and for his team."
Stuart Broad, who dismissed Khawaja, ended with a fifer. Meanwhile, England finished day two at 13-0 and will be looking to put in an accomplished batting performance after recurring collapses.