Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie admitted that he felt opener Usman Khawaja’s time was up a couple of years ago and was delighted over being proved wrong by the left-hander’s 141 in the first Ashes Test against England at Edgbaston.
On Saturday, Australia were struggling after losing David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in the first session. But Khawaja led the charge for Australia, rebuilding the innings with a superb 126 not out, his first Test hundred in England, while stitching important partnerships of 81 and 72 with Head and Cameron Green to take the side to 311/5 at stumps, trailing England by 82 runs.
On Sunday, Khawaja added 15 more runs before being castled by Ollie Robinson, ending a 321-ball knock laced with 14 fours and three sixes.
“A couple of years ago, I saw Usman Khawaja play for Queensland in a Sheffield Shield game when I was coaching South Australia. I remember saying: ‘I think he’s past it. I don’t think there’s much left’.
“I felt he was a bit slow and he was battling. I thought his time was nearly done. Well, he has certainly proved me wrong and I am delighted to admit it. You love it when players show they still have more to give,” wrote Gillespie in his column for Daily Mail on Sunday.
Gillespie, currently coaching South Australia in the domestic cricket circuit, also praised Khawaja for being a mainstay in the team since scoring 137 and 101 not out in his unexpected comeback Test match against England in the 2021/22 Ashes at Sydney.
“It all goes back to that sliding doors moment in January 2022, when Travis Head caught Covid before the fourth Ashes Test and Usman got the opportunity and scored a hundred in each innings. He wasn’t expecting that chance and is now playing every game as if it’s his last, with a really clear mind.”
Gillespie further mentioned that Khawaja’s resurgence, which has seen him score Test centuries in Australia, Pakistan, India, and England in recent times, reminded of how former opener and head coach Justin Langer scored in the same vein on being back in the side for the longer format.
“It reminds me of the time Justin Langer replaced Michael Slater for the final Test of the Ashes in 2001. He thought he was in the last-chance saloon and so he had that attitude of, ‘I’m just going to make the most of this. I’m going to enjoy the battle, enjoy the challenge, just play and have fun’.
“Justin went on to have one of the great careers with that attitude and mindset. And I see a lot of similarities between the situation Justin was in and where Usman finds himself now,” he concluded.
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