Last Updated:
Andrew McDonald confirms further investigation into Usman Khawaja’s back issue ahead of Brisbane Test, dismissing age concerns and considering Travis Head for top order flexibility
Australia opener Usman Khawaja (PTI/AP)
Australian head coach Andrew McDonald has confirmed that further investigation will be conducted regarding opener Usman Khawaja’s back issue for the second Ashes Test, a pink-ball match in Brisbane. He dismissed concerns that age is catching up with Khawaja, who will be 39 in December.
After wrapping up the Perth Ashes opener in two days, players and staff returned to their home cities. Khawaja’s back spasms are a significant worry for the Aussies, as the 38-year-old was unable to open in both innings and did not score well in his only batting attempt. He also dropped an easy catch at slips before leaving the field during England’s second innings.
Also Read: Josh Hazlewood Not Ruled Out Of Ashes! Aussie Head Coach Issues Update
McDonald confirmed that the medical staff would examine the injury closely, noting that Khawaja has never experienced a back spasm in his 14-year career.
“There were discussions around further investigation to whether it was more serious than what we sort of first anticipated. So we will work through that. We will get a squad together. We will step through everything we normally do. We get to camp in six days’ time. It is a long way out, a lot of information to gather between now and then, and hopefully, Usman is fit and available for selection,” McDonald was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on Monday.
McDonald expressed optimism, saying his gut feeling is that “it should be okay”. “But as I said, we will wait for that information to present,” he added.
McDonald dismissed concerns that the back spasm was a sign of age catching up with Khawaja. He mentioned that Khawaja had played 18 rounds of golf over three days leading up to the match, something he had done previously before Test matches. McDonald, like Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg, stated that this had never caused any problems for him before.”These things can happen,” McDonald said. “And I do not think you can join the dots to something around his age. I think it is just one of those things that’s happened,” he added.
Head To Go Top Again?
The Aussie head coach was asked if Head’s explosive 83-ball 123, which helped the hosts chase down 205 runs on day two, might prompt changes in the top order. He responded, “We have got a lot to consider. Batting orders are always debated heavily over a period of time. Middle-order players have not been the ones most popular to open the batting. So we will discuss and work through what it looks like.”
“I think it gave us a little bit of a lens potentially to the future in terms of adjusting batting orders in the second innings, which is something that we have discussed. To be able to put different people in different positions with the scenario that was presented. So this one happened probably through a bit more chance, and obviously, the unfortunate injury to Usman. But I think it really probably opens up that discussion more than, more than anything else for us,” he added.
The potential flexibility with Head looks appealing to McDonald, who said the team has considered using a middle-order player in the top order if the second innings flattens out. “In particular, if we needed quick runs, and the wicket was going to deteriorate. So in our strategy and our planning, we have tabled that from time to time,” he said. “We have had a conversation around Travis opening the batting for a long period of time, and Trav’s has been on the record this week and previously around that also. I suppose, now that it is out there, yeah, happy to talk about it. Will we do it? If it presents at the right time, potentially,” he concluded.
(With inputs form Agencies)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket content, havin…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket content, havin… Read More
November 24, 2025, 14:16 IST
Read More
