Ashes 2023 | Usman Khawaja Shines As Australia Answer Bazball With Old-School Approach

Khawaja registered his maiden ton in England at Edgbaston (AP Photo)

Australia's wickets may have kept falling from one end on Day 2 of the Edgbaston Test match of the Ashes 2023; however, opener Usman Khawaja held his forte from the other end and scored his maiden Test century in England, helping the Aussies get down the deficit to 82 runs.

At the start of the last session of the day, the World Test Champions lost a solid-looking Cameron Green to a beauty bowled by Moeen Ali, but the all-rounder dismissal didn't demoralise them as Khawaja teamed up with Alex Carey against Ben Stokes' Bazball-esque England.

Talking Points

Moeen dusts Cameron Green with a jaffa

Green, during his maiden outing against England in England, was batting like a dream, taking required risks and looking like a real threat for the home team, but Moeen pleased every off-spin bowling fan as he drifted the ball into the right-hander from around off-stump line to let the ball kiss the top of middle-stump.

The Australia number six's wicket saw pressure rise in their changing room as they were still trailing by 173 runs. However, Khawaja, then, joined by another southpaw, stitched a painful partnership for Stokes and company. The duo didn't do anything expansive or out-of-the-box but carried with old-school Test cricket to reduce the deficit.

Luck favoured (the) 'brave' Khawaja

Khawaja got bowled on a no-ball (AP Photo)

In the last hour of the day, England were due to the second new ball and skipper Stokes wasted no time to take the brand-new cherry. Stuart Broad got the duty first up with the new ball and almost delivered in his first over. Khawaja got bowled, but as luck would have it, his nemesis overstepped a millimetre extra to give the Australian fans something more to cheer about.

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Soon, Carey notched up his successive half-century to pour more salt on the Englishmen's wounds. 

Expectations

At the end of the day, things have may look more comforting for the Aussies but it had been an even-steven Test match thus far. A couple of early wickets and things could tilt towards England's side. However, the duo of Khawaja and Carey would look to carry on their good work to bank a first innings lead.

Brief Score

England - 393-8 declared (78.0 overs)
Joe Root - 118* (152), Jonny Bairstow 78 (78)
Nathan Lyon - 4/129 (29), Josh Hazlewood - 2/61 (15)

Australia - 311-5 (94 overs)
Usman Khawaja - 126* (279), Alex Carey 52* (80)
Stuart Broad - 2/49 (16), Moeen Ali - 2/124 (29)

Australia trail by 82 runs at stumps on Day 2.