There are few sights as endearing in world cricket as the sight of Usman Khawaja in full flight.
The elegant clips off his pads, the seamless pull shots, the jovial Running Man dance as he celebrates a hard fought century – you can’t help but smile.
Few opportunities will remain for fans to witness these moments, as the 38-year-old approaches the end of his remarkable renaissance and reportedly flags the final Ashes Test next summer as the scene of his last hurrah.
Usman Khawaja.Credit: AP
But can he get there?
Khawaja seemed invincible upon returning to the side at the start of 2022, after dominating the interstate arena for Queensland.
For two years, he forged a lethal opening combination with David Warner – one in which he averaged 60 across 24 Tests.
However, the dawning of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy coincided with a major decline in the numbers which made him immovable. In his past 20 innings, he has scored just 458 runs at 25.44.
A two-Test series in Sri Lanka, beginning on January 29, and the World Test Championship final against South Africa loom as Khawaja’s chance to prove he can help Australia retain the Ashes.
But the willingness of the selectors to pick spin specialist batsmen on the subcontinent could dent that hope.
Sam Konstas’s rise and Travis Head’s success opening the batting in India may trigger some tinkering, should typical Asia tourists Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell garner reprieves.
Yet, the manner Konstas has performed in his brief foray highlights why Khawaja must remain.
The 19-year-old’s fearlessness has been lauded, particularly in the face of Jasprit Bumrah. However. his wild attempted slog to be dismissed for 22 in the fourth innings on Sunday was brash.
Sam Konstas with Usman Khawaja.Credit: Getty Images
Khawaja, one of the calmest heads in cricket, shapes as the perfect mentor for Konstas – a seasoned campaigner who can help ensure controlled aggression replaces recklessness.
When Konstas did depart, Australia needed someone to steady the ship, with Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith following in quick succession on a Sydney wicket causing chaos.
Khawaja did that, his chanceless 41 until his wicket fell laying the platform for Head and Beau Webster to race home.
And Australia captain Pat Cummins said there would be no rushing from him, nor the selectors, for Khawaja to move on.
“I felt very comfortable when he was out there batting, he looked so assured,” Cummins said.
“It literally doesn’t get any harder than opening the batting on these pitches against a quality bowling attack. It’s the hardest job in cricket.
“I thought he looked really good at times, sometimes he got some really good balls. He looks like he’s batting as well as any other time.
“Probably overall he didn’t get the runs he would have liked, but you get innings like today where he just shows his maturity and experience – it’s so valuable.
“Who knows, I know he always says age is just a number, and he took some good catches in the field, so he’s still moving all right, so no end date from our end as long as he’s still scoring some runs.”
These next 12 months loom as a critical adjustment period for Konstas.
Having Khawaja’s know-how down the other end will be instrumental in the teenage phenom finding his feet by the time when the time does come for the veteran to retire.
Australia’s line-up is expected to go through a massive period of regeneration in the coming years, with Konstas the only member of the victorious XI under 30, with the injured Josh Hazlewood and axed Mitchell Marsh still prominent members of the squad closer to the end.
Nathan McSweeney, Jhye Richardson, Cameron Green and Todd Murphy all have Test experience under their belts, and have been identified as future staples of the team.
But Khawaja himself has advocated for young players to be provided chances around an experienced makeup. The yin and yang dynamic between him and Konstas could be Australia’s most important relationship in building a sustainable future.
“I think you’d be smart to have one eye on the future, particularly at this stage where we’ve had a team that’s been playing beautiful cricket for the last couple of years,” Khawaja said.
“We’ve had the same team, but you don’t always get that. The players are at an experienced, older age.
“I was 24, 25 when I debuted, and it’s bloody tough. I feel like you can grow a lot quicker by not repeating the same mistakes all the other guys repeated, and you can grow from that.
“Michael Clarke pushed in at a young age, Phil Hughes, Steve Smith – there’ve been a lot of guys who pushed in at a young age, and having a few senior members around them definitely makes a difference.”
