Khawaja’s Back Issues Disrupt Australia’s Ashes Opening

Australia’s cricket opener, Usman Khawaja, faced unexpected delays due to back spasms during the opening match of the Ashes series in Perth. This incident occurred just one day after he won a local golf tournament at Lake Karrinyup Country Club, where he scored an impressive 41 stableford points.

Khawaja’s back issues arose during a critical phase of the match when England’s lower order crumbled, losing five wickets for just 12 runs in a mere 19 minutes. After departing the field for approximately 10 minutes, Khawaja was unable to take his usual position at the top of the batting order. Consequently, debutant Jake Weatherald faced Jofra Archer‘s first over and was dismissed for a duck, leaving Australia in a precarious position.

As the innings progressed, Steve Smith was forced to come in at No 3 due to the rapid fall of wickets. Khawaja eventually entered the game at No 4 after Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed by Brydon Carse, but his innings was short-lived, lasting only six balls.

The reaction among former players was one of discontent regarding Khawaja’s absence at such a pivotal moment. Tom Moody, a former Australian cricketer and current coach, criticized the situation on ABC Radio, calling it “poor management” and “beyond a joke.” Similarly, Mark Waugh described the team’s batting performance as “shell-shocked” on Fox TV.

There was speculation surrounding Khawaja’s condition, particularly given that he is nearing his 39th birthday. Local media reported that he had been experiencing stiffness and illness leading up to the match. However, Cricket Australia later clarified that Khawaja’s issues were related to a new injury, confirming that he had not entered the match with any pre-existing conditions.

On the day of his golf tournament victory, Khawaja outperformed notable players like Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc, who scored 32 and 38 points, respectively. The Australian cricket team has been known to engage in golf, drawing parallels with their English counterparts, who also faced criticism for prioritizing golf over training in the lead-up to the series.

Following the match, Carse noted that the situation “unsettled” Australia, while pace spearhead Mitchell Starc acknowledged that the team was caught off guard by the sudden loss of wickets. He remarked, “It’s just unfortunate that that was the case. He’ll manage that overnight and see where we’re at tomorrow.”

Carse was pleased with England’s performance, highlighting the team’s resilience. “At the half-way mark, Stokesy [captain Ben Stokes] kept it quite simple,” he stated. “He said, ‘we’ve got 50 minutes before tea,’ and I thought the way that Gus [Atkinson] and Jofra [Archer] started was phenomenal and we carried that into the afternoon session.” Carse emphasized the effectiveness of their bowling lineup, particularly with the presence of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, describing their performance as relentless.

As the series unfolds, the focus will remain on Khawaja’s fitness and the impact of his condition on Australia’s batting strategy. The Ashes series is set to continue, with both teams eager to gain the upper hand in this historic rivalry.