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Australia To Release Matt Renshaw For BBL Final Despite Khawaja's Concussion Concerns

image-lrlmnxe6Renshaw (L) & Khawaja-Smith (X.com)

In a controversial decision, Australian cricket team management has decided to release backup opener Matt Renshaw for the BBL finals, ignoring ongoing concussion concerns with Usman Khawaja and thus leaving the team with no depth ahead of the second Test against the West Indies.

Aussie veteran opener Usman Khawaja took a big blow on the mouth during the Adelaide Test match against the West Indies, wherein debutant Shamar Joseph’s beamer hit Khawaja in the face. Fortunately, the batter cleared the concussion test despite spitting blood, and since Australia was on the verge of winning, Khwaja decided to walk back and retired hurt to avert the risk of injury aggravation.

However, Usman Khawaja is still not out of the woods. He will undergo multiple tests in the lead-up to the second game to rule out any after-effects of the nasty blow.

Having said that, Matt Renshaw was initially selected for the backup role ahead of the Test series. However, he was released later to play in the BBL qualifier for Brisbane Heat against Sydney Sixers. 

Though he rejoined the national squad, the batter is once again expected to be released given that his team, the Heat, made it to the finals on Wednesday.

That being said, the Australian management’s decision to let go of Renshaw at a critical time has raised many eyebrows. If Renshaw leaves, Australia will be without a concussion substitute for the majority of the game.

However, head coach Andrew McDonald explained that a final decision on Renshaw’s release would be taken after assessing Khawaja’s injury severity. Also, he claims that since the BBL finals are scheduled on the East Coast, it is time-friendly for Renshaw to go back and forth.

"I suppose the positive for the Brisbane Heat is that the final now will be on the east coast somewhere which makes it probably time-friendly to be able to potentially play the final. If it was on the west coast it would be much more difficult," said Andrew McDonald.

Additionally, McDonald confirmed that selectors do not plan on adding any more backup to the squad in the wake of Usman Khwaja’s nasty blow.

Overall, the Aussie head coach deemed the decision calculative and ruled out the chances of any ill happening in the second Test.