Left-hander batsmen Usman Khawaja was named in the 15 member squad for the Ashes tour and he reacted to his selection that he has got nothing to prove to anyone and his main focus will be to give the 100% for the team.
Australian left-hander batsmen Usman Khawaja on Wednesday said he has got nothing to prove to anyone and will starve to do his best in the upcoming Ashes. On Wednesday, Australia announced their 15-member squad for their upcoming two tests of men Ashes, with a prolonged list from which an Australia A will be selected for a tour match against England.
“I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum: I’ve been in the Australian team, I’ve been dropped, I’ve had contracts, I haven’t had contracts. I guess when you’re a bit younger you hold onto those things more tightly. I’ve got nothing to prove to anyone — not to myself, not to anyone else. I’m going out there to do the best I can for any team I’m in,”
cricket.com.au quoted Khawaja as saying.
“I know I won’t be able to play cricket forever, so I’m enjoying playing whatever level I’m playing. People will probably say, ‘He’s talking crap’, but it’s true — I’m just enjoying my cricket and my mindset won’t change. I’m a big believer in fate; whatever is meant to happen, will happen,”
he added.
Talking about his connection with the coach Justin Langer, Khawaja said:
“My relationship with ‘JL’ (Langer) has always been great…I still talk to him, I still text him, we get along fine. So I always find that (speculation) a bit odd. I’ve always been open and honest, I’ve never shied away from the truth. JL knows I’ll always say everything to his face, and all my teammates know that, too.”
He had last played the test game during Australia’s tour of England in 2019, looks likely to compete for selection in the middle-order against Travis Head, with essentials Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Cameron Green all looking like beginners.
Khawaja, who is the current leading run-scorer in Sheffield Shield with 404 runs in six innings at an average of 67.33, believes that the Gabba, which will host the first Ashes test, have a special place in my heart. The Men’s Ashes between Australia and England will be played from December 8 at the Gabba Stadium in Brisbane.