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Usman Khawaja faces a Cricket Australia notice after calling the Perth Stadium Ashes pitch a piece of s**t, clashing with Ranjan Madugalle’s very good ICC rating.
Australia’s Usman Khawaja did not walk out to open the innings (AP)
Usman Khawaja is expected to receive a formal notice from Cricket Australia after bluntly describing the Perth Stadium surface for the first Ashes Test as a “piece of s**t” during a charity lunch this week.
Reports indicate that CA officials were displeased with the opener’s comments, especially since match referee Ranjan Madugalle had rated the wicket “very good,” the highest rating an ICC official can give.
Madugalle’s evaluation followed a match that concluded within two days, where he noted the pitch had “good carry, limited seam movement, and consistent early bounce,” contributing to a fair balance between bat and ball.
‘Happy To Say’
Khawaja, however, expressed a starkly different opinion. Speaking at the event, he criticised the pitch for its variable bounce, highlighting the quick fall of wickets on Day 1 and the number of batters struck. He noted that even a player of Steve Smith’s calibre struggled to find the middle of the bat due to the up-and-down movement.
“Nineteen wickets on the first day and about 20 people got hit, that’s a great wicket, that seems real fair. Steve Smith’s by far the best cricketer I’ve ever played with, and he’s missing the middle of his bat by a long way – he does not miss the middle of his bat. He’s getting hit in the elbow. Up and down (movement) is the hardest, sideways is a little bit easier, but up and down, your hands can’t catch up. So, day one wicket at (Perth) is a piece of s**t, I’m happy to say that. It has been last year; it was this year,” Khawaja had said at an event for his Usman Khawaja Foundation.
The opener noted that the surface typically improves after opening day, explaining that Days 2 and 3 are usually the best for batting.
“They do get better. Day two, day three, and then day four, they start to crack up and cure again. We know day two, day three is usually the best time to bat. So, whenever we play in Perth, it’s one of the few places we win the toss and bat first, hoping that we can bat again maybe the end of day two and into day three,” the Queenslander added.
Cricket Australia is expected to formally address the matter, as Khawaja’s comments have gained attention not only for their bluntness but also for directly contradicting the ICC’s top-tier rating of the wicket.
(With inputs from 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 29, 2025, 13:20 IST
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