Usman Khawaja, who struck a another hundred in the fourth Ashes Test on Saturday, is readying himself to make way for Travis Head in the fifth match after the latter’s recovery from Covid-19.
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Khawaja, playing his first Test in more than two years, has been the star at the SCG, notching up back-to-back hundreds. The player, who was only given a chance at five after Head was ruled out after testing positive for Covid-19, scored 137 in the first innings before hitting a 138-ball 101* in his second.
However, Head has now tested negative and is set to regain his spot for the fifth Test which will be played at Hobart from January 14, and Khawaja is “quite resigned” to make way once he returns.
“At the moment I’m quite resigned to the fact that I probably will miss out. That’s the way talking to [chief selector] George Bailey and the selectors about continuity and having a similar team by the looks of it. I’m not totally against it either. I felt like in my career, a lot of changes were made and I was on the wrong side of them a few times.”
He added that stability is of utmost importance for a cricketer’s confidence, which is the primary reason he is not “expecting to play the next Test”.
“I’m the first to say I think there needs to be structure and stability. I know how hard it is for a cricketer with chopping and changing for confidence. At the moment I’m not expecting to play the next Test much but I’ll always be ready because who knows, someone might get Covid, you’ve got to stay ready.
“I’m not a selector but I know what they’ve been saying from the start so I would be surprised if there are changes.”
Head scored 152 in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba off 148 deliveries and followed it up with knocks of 18, 51 and 27.
