Sunday, Apr 28, 2024 | Last Update : 11:51 PM IST
Shane Warne lauds selectors, head coach for dropping Usman Khawaja, player responds
Khawaja, the left-handed cricketer was dropped from the team, after his poor-show during the India tour and the recently concluded Ashes.
Mumbai: After Australia won the first Test match of the two-game series against Pakistan by an innings and 5 runs, former spinner Shane Warne hailed the Australian batsmen and the bowlers for their scintillating performance.
Warne also lauded chief selector Trevor Hohns and head coach Justin Langer for dropping out-of from batsman Usman Khawaja from the Australia’s playing XI, and from the 15-member squad. Khawaja, the left-handed cricketer was dropped from the team, after his poor-show during the India tour and the recently concluded Ashes.
Following the 32-year-old’s dismal performances, former Aussie leg spinner, Shane Warne raised questions over Khawaja’s desire to play for his country.
In a news corporations column, the ex-Australian player wrote, “Throughout his Test career, he always seems to do just enough. Sometimes you just want to shake him and get him to show a bit more. Different personalities make up the team and some people aren’t as exuberant and emotional as others, but he can be better, particularly with his body language.”
The left-handed southpaw, who currently is preparing to lead his side (Queensland) in the finals against Western Australia in the domestic limited-overs fixture, has responded to Warne’s criticism and has said none should doubt his desire to play for his country.
During an interview with Espncricinfo, the Pakistani-born batsman said, “I don’t think there’s any need to answer that question (how important playing for Australia is). I’m a batsman, I’m a run-scorer first and foremost so that’s my currency, but if you look at my Shield record, you look at my one-day domestic record, my record for Australia, my BBL record, I score runs. That’s all that matters. Not really [going to change my body language], I’m a pretty cool bloke. You either get it or you don’t, that’s the way it is.”
Meanwhile, the Islamabad-born cricketer is in red-hot form right now, the player has sent a strong statement to the selectors after he led his side to the finals, after having registered match-winning knocks of 138, 112 and 86*.
