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The only way back for Usman Khawaja
Andrew Slevison • December 17th, 2025 11:16 am
Does this spell the end for Usman Khawaja in the Australian side?
The veteran was left out of the XI for the third Ashes Test against England despite being fully fit after the back issue that plagued him in Perth and forced him to miss out in Brisbane.
Khawaja has seemingly lost his spot as Test opener to Travis Head and Jake Weatherald so he may need to find a niche elsewhere if he is to return to the team.
Former opener Simon Katich is not overly confident we will see Khawaja back in Test white anytime soon given the current circumstances.
“Yeah, it’s a tough one,” said Katich on SEN Cricket’s The New Ball when asked if this is the end for Uzzie.
“I can’t see him getting back in now purely because of the irresistible form of the openers. Since that second innings in Perth they’ve been dominant.
“It’s momentum now and I think Pat Cummins has seen that having been out of the team and watching around the group. I think they’ve just seen how this has worked and it has put so much pressure on England that the momentum has gone Australia’s way.
“Even the first innings in Brisbane they were 0/120 off about 20 overs. It just put England on the back foot.
“I think this is more about current form than anything about Khawaja. I just think it’s unfortunate timing, he got the back spasms, only got one innings in Perth and got out gloving one to the keeper.
“This has been building over a couple of weeks purely because Head and Weatherald have made an irresistible case. Weatherald at 31 has grabbed his opportunity.
“It’s only two Tests but he has shown a lot of composure, and he does have the attacking game which is what they’ve been looking for.”
SEN Cricket’s Bharat Sundaresan also admits it potentially could be the end for the 38-year-old Khawaja.
However, he does see a possible way back through the middle order where he has previously had success for the national team.
“There’s the poetry of sport and then there’s the cruelty of sport,” Sundaresan said.
“In 2019 he probably thought he’d never play a Test match again. Then he got this incredible second chapter which started four years ago against England when he made 200 batting at No.5.
“I think the only way back for him is in the middle order. Just seeing him at training, Head and Weatherald faced the new ball and Uzzie only faced the new ball a little bit.
“Maybe the messaging is if there is a way back for you it’s in the middle order. But even that, is there any point leaving out Josh Inglis? And there’s Beau Webster waiting outside as well.
“So it does look more and more like we might have seen the last of Uzzie in Test cricket, but I don’t think they want to let go of him before the end of the Ashes. He will be part of the squad until Sydney.”
Tom Morris has a very pragmatic view of the Khawaja situation.
“I think it’s perfectly ok for Usman Khawaja to ride it out and see if he can get back in this summer,” said Morris.
“At least his public messaging he’s fairly comfortable with the way things have played out based on his faith which he talks about very openly.
“He deserves great credit for the way he’s gone about it. If he gets back in, great. If he doesn’t get back in, then that’s also absolutely ok.”
As it stands, Khawaja has played 85 Test matches, made 6055 runs at an average of 43.5 with 16 centuries and 27 fifties.
The third Ashes Test gets underway in Adelaide today with Australia holding a 2-0 lead over England.
