The first Test of the four-match Test series between the hosts Australia and the visitors India will begin on December 6 at Adelaide. Though the home team management is still unsure about their openers, Usman Khawaja has no problem on that.
The team management will sort out the opening slot issue in next few days where Khawaja, Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb are in the fight with the favourite opening choice Aaron Finch. While Khawaja has no issue with the present circumstances, he also revealed that he loves to bat at the no.3 position.
Khawaja recently told RSN Breakfast Club, “The only thing it affects is how fast I have to run off the field. You only get 10 minutes as an opener, which is a pain in the arse. I love batting No.3 because you often get a little rest, little breather, put your pads on nice and easy, watch the openers scurry off. But it doesn’t make a difference whatsoever.”
Also read: Usman Khawaja To Get Fit Before Playing Against India
However, there is another option where Finch can bat down the order in the home condition, the familiar position for the 32-year-old Victorian batsman.
Speaking on that Khawaja told SEN radio, “It’s something that’s not on my mind because it doesn’t really bother me. I’m just training as I would (for) any other game, ready to get out there and play some cricket. I’m prepared to bat wherever I’m told to bat. I’m expecting it to be three or opening, but we have two openers in the side. At the moment (I think) it’s three, but if they want me to open I’m happy to open.”
In his 35 Test career (60 Test innings), Khawaja has widely batted at no.3 position (51 innings). While his overall average in this position is 39.63, his home venues’ average is 52.80. As the 31-year-old is currently one of the important batsmen of the team, matured Khawaja is ready to adjust himself in the new batting position and give up his favourite no.3 spot.
Khawaja said, “When I was younger it was probably a little bit different. I was really stuck on No.3 because that’s where I’d batted my whole life in first-class cricket. I was like, ‘Nah, I’m a No.3, I have to bat No.3’. But as you get a bit older and you play a bit more cricket you realise there really isn’t too much difference apart from a slight change of mindset.”
Also read: Ponting Feels Khawaja Will Finish On Top Of Kohli In The Test Series
The in-form Aussie batsman Khawaja is working on his fitness and he is following his favourite athlete, the basketball player LeBron James, to improve his fitness. The 31-year-old has just dropped 10kg weight to make himself more fit on the ground.
Talking about his hard fitness work, “I just wanted to make sure I was the best version of myself. One of my favourite athletes, Lebron James, does that as well as anyone else. I had a good Ashes campaign but I just felt like it was something I needed to work on at the time. I just started chipping away at it.
“Fitness was probably one part of my game and place that I wanted to work hard on and make sure I was in the right physical shape for international cricket. Training, playing, traveling. I don’t think people realise how much actually goes into the international schedule.”
