Australia won the 2023 World Test Championship final against India by an enormous margin of 209 runs on Sunday, June 11. Following their historic victory, Australia will face England in the Ashes in 2023, beginning on June 16 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The upcoming series will be exceedingly important for Australian opener Usman Khawaja, who has not had much success in England.
Usman Khawaja has amassed 249 runs in 14 innings in England at an average of 17.78. Since his return to the Australian Test team in 2022, the southpaw has been in tremendous form and has been averaging over 60 with the bat. Khawaja stated that ups and downs are a normal part of the game when discussing how he will perform in English conditions this time around.
“Cricket is precisely this type of sport; it is up and down, up and down. Hopefully, I won’t experience another depression, but the possibilities are that I will. If you play long enough, it is inevitable. The Guardian quotes Khawaja as saying that this is the essence of the issue.
Notably, the opening batsman was a member of Australia’s squad for The Ashes 2019 in England; however, he was dismissed after a poor performance in the series. He subsequently returned to Ashes in 2021–22 and has been in imperious form ever since. He was dismissed for 0 and 13 in the two innings of the WTC 2023 final in England, indicating that he has not had a good start in England.
Khawaja stated that he has always felt like an outcast on the Australian cricket team.
I always felt like an outsider. Usman Khawaja
“Fortunately, my colleagues have always treated me with respect. But I always felt like an interloper. I don’t consume alcohol. And I don’t buy men’s drinks. But I also have no problem with people consuming alcohol; it’s your life; do whatever you please. “They respect me, and I respect them,” he added.
The 36-year-old has an upcoming tour of England that could determine his future with the Australian national team. As the first Ashes Test commences on June 16, Khawaja has little time to figure out how to succeed in England. Australia has retained the Ashes in the previous three series and will be keen to do so for a fourth consecutive time by overcoming England’s ‘Bazball’ strategy.
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