Khawaja's Ashes Redemption: From Underdog to Superstar
Usman Khawaja has been brilliant in Ashes 2023 (Source: Twitter)
The ongoing Ashes series has been dominated by the Australian cricket team, who currently hold a 2-0 lead after a thrilling victory at Lords. Among the standout performers for Australia in this series is Usman Khawaja, who has consistently delivered with the bat. Despite being overshadowed by star players like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, Khawaja has quietly emerged as the hero of the Australian team.
Khawaja, a left-handed batsman, currently leads the run-scoring charts in the Ashes series. He has contributed two half-centuries and a remarkable century during the first Test match. This remarkable performance makes him a strong contender for the opening batsman position in the Australian Test side. Furthermore, this series has been a turning point for Khawaja, as he has managed to overcome his struggles in English conditions, where he has previously faced difficulties and scored fewer runs.
Despite being somewhat overlooked due to the star-studded batting lineup of Australia, Usman Khawaja's consistent contributions with the bat have been instrumental in the team's success in the Ashes. His ability to perform under pressure and deliver crucial runs makes him an invaluable asset to the Australian cricket team.
Usman Khawaja’s Dominance against the primary English pacers
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Runs & Dots % against each pacer in the Ashes 2023
Usman Khawaja has showcased his prowess against the key Australian pacers and has been particularly successful against the formidable swing bowlers of England, a challenging feat for an opener. His exceptional performance against veteran James Anderson stands out, as he confidently scored 70 runs against him, displaying great control in his batting. Interestingly, Khawaja has played a significant number of dot balls, accounting for 80.10 percent of his deliveries faced from Anderson.
Against Stuart Broad, who has been exceptional against other top-order Australian batsmen and has taken the most wickets for England, Khawaja has been watchful yet effective. He managed to score 65 runs while playing 78.30 percent of dots against Broad, effectively countering his threat.
Ollie Robinson, the third pacer in the list, faced a resilient Khawaja who scored 54 runs against him. Despite playing the highest number of dot balls against Robinson (84.20 percent), Khawaja was only dismissed by him once in four innings.
Khawaja had limited exposure to Ben Stokes, scoring only 18 runs against him and playing 73.30 percent of dots. Similarly, he faced Josh Tongue briefly, contributing 14 runs in the second Ashes Test while facing 84 percent of dot balls.
Overall, Usman Khawaja's performance against the English bowlers in both Test matches has been commendable. He has demonstrated patience and caution when facing the new ball while launching effective attacks with the old ball. His approach has forced the bowlers to adjust their lengths, providing opportunities for counterattacks. This strategy was particularly evident in the first Test, where Khawaja utilised pulls, cuts, and back foot punches to great effect, scoring a significant portion of his runs through mid-wicket and extra cover.
Conclusion
In this series, Usman Khawaja showed improvement in handling swing in English conditions compared to his previous struggles. Instead of chasing deliveries outside off-stump, he focused on taking his time at the crease, especially when the ball was swinging. This patient approach helped him settle into his innings and counter the swing effectively.
By not feeling the need to attack early on, Khawaja displayed composure and played out the new ball, which was the most challenging phase. Overall, his adjustment and willingness to spend time in the middle contributed to his success against the English pacers.
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