Three issues that hold Usman Khawaja enjoying Test cricket
Australia opener Usman Khawaja says he’ll hold enjoying Test cricket simply so long as he continues to tick three essential containers.
It’s a case of to this point, so good for the 36-year-old, who topped the Ashes batting aggregate throughout each side within the current 2-2 sequence attract England that ensured Australia retained the urn.
Khawaja was requested at Cricket Australia’s Play Cricket Week marketing campaign in Brisbane if the house Ashes sequence of 2025-26 was nonetheless in his sights.
“In 2025 … one series at a time I go with,” Khawaja grinned. “You can get ahead of yourself and look to that time [in 2025] and think, ‘I can probably get there’, but I don’t want to [do that].
“I like enjoying one summer season at a time and seeing how the physique goes, how the thoughts goes and whether or not I’m having fun with it. It is these three issues. I’m ticking these three containers in the mean time so I’ll hold enjoying.”
Khawaja has had a few weeks to reflect on this year’s thrilling Ashes series.
“I’ve had so many individuals come as much as me and inform me how good the Test sequence was. So for cricket…cricket undoubtedly gained,” he said. “I’ve had greater than 50 individuals inform me the final couple of weeks how a lot sleep they misplaced watching the Ashes.
“We would have loved to have won but we have now retained [or won] four Ashes series in a row…2019 and 2023 in England. The last time England won in Australia was 2010-11, when I debuted.
“So we have been dominating Ashes cricket for a very long time and that’s the larger image. England goes to have to return again right here and beat us and do one thing they have not executed for a really very long time.”
Australia play Pakistan and West Indies in the coming months, with Khawaja looking forward to opening alongside David Warner in what will be his good mate’s last summer of Test cricket. He said the future looked bright in the opening ranks, no matter who replaced Warner in Tests.
“Marcus Harris has been travelling with us lots, all over the place we go. It can be remiss to suppose that he’s not the following in line to open the batting for Australia,” Khawaja mentioned.
“[In Queensland] Matt Renshaw has been round and enjoying some stunning cricket, and scored a Test hundred in Sydney early on [in his career]. Then there’s the likes of Cameron Bancroft, who performed very well too in WA and has performed for Australia additionally.”
Khawaja said the Play Cricket Week initiative, which features approximately 150 high-profile cricketers around the country, was vital to encourage kids to take up the sport.
“Participation is the be-all and end-all for cricket,” Khawaja said. “It is nice to see the younger boys and now it’s actually thrilling to see the females in participation. When I used to be youthful it was very totally different. The quantity of women that come as much as me as of late and ask for an autograph is fairly cool.”