Usman Khawaja has hit back at his critics as he stares his Test cricket mortality in the eye.
The embattled Australian opener has been excluded from the second Ashes Test in his adopted home city of Brisbane due to a back injury, but was under pressure to hold his spot regardless after a lean run of form.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Usman Khawaja hits back at critics.
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The veteran left-hander will turn 39 in two weeks and has reached triple figures just once since June 2023 — a century which was scored in sub-continental conditions in February.
Since the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June this year, Khawaja is averaging just 13.8 with a high score of 47 and only two scores above 16.
Given that context, there was outrage directed at him when he failed to take his place at the top of the order during the first Test in Perth due to back spasms.
Khawaja went off the field during England’s first innings and didn’t get back on in time to be allowed, under ICC playing conditions, to open the batting when the visitors were bowled out.
That meant Marnus Labuschagne was forced to open the batting, debutant Jake Weatherald was exposed to the first ball of the innings, and regular No.4 Steve Smith was out in the middle just two balls into the innings.
Australia’s subsequent batting collapse was unfairly and disproportionately blamed — by much of the Australian public, at least — on the struggling Khawaja, who himself scored just two when he eventually came out to bat at No.4.
Usman Khawaja has hit back at his critics. Credit: Instagram Ahead of the day-night Test starting in Brisbane from Thursday, Khawaja — a devout Muslim — reminded everyone with a video of himself praying at home that the hate directed his way will not bring him down.
“Everyday, without fail, five a times a day,” he wrote of his praying ritual.
“And you think your hate and negativity can bring me down? Not even close.
“I’m the luckiest man in the world. Always. At least that’s how I perceive life. Alhamdulillah.”
The video came with a flood of support from his fans, with over 112,000 likes in about 12 hours after it was posted.
Khawaja has endured a checkered relationship with the Australian public, who haven’t always agreed with some of his causes.
In 2023, Khawaja was set to take the field with “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” written on his boots, to make a humanitarian statement about the still ongoing war in Gaza, before being denied by the ICC.
He had the messages on his boots during training but was blocked from wearing them in a Test due to the ICC’s guidelines that prohibit political messages on playing equipment.
Critics of the ICC’s decision argued that Khawaja’s messages were specifically humanitarian in nature, not political, so they should have been allowed.
The classy batter respected the ruling by covering the messages with tape, but also wore a black armband as a sign of respect for those suffering in the Middle East.
It was a saga that polarised the Australian and wider cricketing public, with Khawaja gaining as many new critics as he did supporters.
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