Usman Khawaja says he has realized a lot from his two underwhelming excursions of England as he prepares for what he calls the hardest take a look at for a top-order batter.
The 36-year-old opener can be integral to Australia’s probabilities of retaining the Ashes when the primary of 5 Assessments start in Birmingham on June 16, following the World Take a look at Championship [WTC] last in opposition to India at The Oval.
Khawaja toured England in 2013 and 2019 for a meagre return of 236 runs in six Assessments at a mean of 19.66. He was dropped halfway by means of the 2019 Ashes and spent virtually three years on the outer earlier than a triumphant return to the Take a look at aspect that has reaped 1608 runs in 16 Assessments at a mean of 69.91, together with six centuries.
“England is, in my view, the hardest place on this planet to bat for top-three batsmen,” Khawaja mentioned. “In 2013, I used to be fairly younger and it was a fairly s*** tour, if I’m being trustworthy. It was robust work. I realized loads from that tour.”
“My final collection there [in 2019] it was a tricky collection for batsmen. The entire tour will present you that, aside from Steven Smith who was on one other planet.”
Khawaja mentioned it was a “studying expertise” with a few key takeaways.
“If I’ve realized something, it’s work exhausting, practice exhausting and [when] going to England, go together with low expectations,” he grinned. “You will fail as a batsman, however while you do rating you attempt to money in as a lot as you possibly can.”
“I have been dropped seven instances in Take a look at cricket and I’ve come again, and there is a purpose for that…as a result of I’ve all the time scored runs constantly in first-class cricket and fought my method again”
Usman Khawaja
It’s the problem in opposition to the England tempo duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad that has Khawaja enthused.
“Anderson and Broad…they’re unbelievable bowlers and difficult work initially,” he mentioned. “That is what makes it so superior while you do rating runs and also you contribute to a successful workforce, which hopefully I will do and others will do over there.
“Once you do it in opposition to guys like Broad and Anderson in England, it is simply that rather more satisfying.”
Khawaja believed that Australia had been too “reactive” in dropping gamers prior to now, together with himself, after the odd failure.
“I’ve all the time been…
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