Australia’s opening batsman, Usman Khawaja, has expressed his preference for the national selectors to prioritize class over current form in choosing the next Test opener following David Warner’s retirement from the format. Warner has voiced his intention to conclude his Test career during Australia’s series against Pakistan, starting with the first Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth on December 14.
While Warner is included in the 14-player squad for the initial Test against Pakistan, contenders for the vacant opening role include Cameron Bancroft, Matthew Renshaw, and Marcus Harris. Khawaja, speaking on SEN Radio, emphasized the need to consider long-term ability rather than basing selections solely on recent form.
“To be honest, it (who my next opening partner is) doesn’t matter to me, genuinely. Whoever the selectors are going to pick, they’re going to pick because they think they’re the best for the role. I don’t even believe in the ‘bat-off’ people are talking about right now. I think it (the decision) is going to come to a lot more than that.”
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“You can’t pick teams on form. You’ve got to pick teams on who you think the best player is. If we pick teams on form, the Australian team would be changing every second week, so you just can’t do that. Class is always permanent. The form is always temporary. It will be interesting to see which way they go. I don’t know,” said Khawaja.
While acknowledging the significance of runs at the First-Class level, Khawaja believes that the trio of Bancroft, Renshaw, and Harris has showcased enough talent and performance for serious consideration. “I think it (making runs) does (play into it). But I think if you go a bit further back for the last five years, all of the guys that are in contention would have scored a truckload of runs. It would be very similar. It just depends on how big a sample size you want to make it.”
Khawaja also shared insights into his conversations with Warner, revealing that their discussions often revolve around golf rather than cricket matters ahead of the Tests against Pakistan. “I always text Davey. But I think we were mostly talking about where we were going to play golf when we were in Perth. (My handicap) could be less. I just need to play more. I’ve negotiated (with the wife) to play once a week. I think that’s good enough.”
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