The 37-year-old senior Australian Test opener Usman Khawaja revealed why Jasprit Bumrah is a different bowler. He also praised the Indian bowling lineup. 

Australia are ready to host the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a five-match Test series against India. Australia lost the last four Border-Gavaskar Trophies, including twice at home. 

While Australia are desperate to win the upcoming BGT, which is also a part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship, Usman Khawaja has to play an important role. BGT is set to begin in the next week, and Khawaja talked about the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

It's a different: Usman Khawaja on Jasprit Bumrah

Talking about why Bumrah is different than others, Khawaja pointed out his bowling action, especially his different release points. 

Khawaja told Fox Cricket, "I mean, when you first face him, it's just his action. It's a different, bizarre kind of action as his release point is very different than other bowlers. It's just a bit further up. So a lot of guys release the ball from near the popping crease. [Against Bumrah] it feels like he gets a bit further out just with his front braced leg and pushes the ball out.

Khawaja has claimed that facing Bumrah for the first time is very awkward, but the Indian pacer can be handled once the batter is used to him. The left-handed Australian batter called Bumrah a class bowler.

The Aussie opener added, "So it feels like it comes out and then gets there a lot quicker than you expect it. It's just once you get used to the action, it's fine. I played against him a lot. Not to say that he can't give me out first ball. I mean anyone can. But it's one of those things where once the first time you face him, it's very awkward and then when you get a little bit of rhythm it gets better. But he's still a class bowler."

In Test cricket, Bumrah hasn’t dismissed Khawaja yet. Bumrah has delivered 155 Test balls, whereas unbeaten Khawaja scored 43 runs, including three fours. Bumrah dismissed Khawaja only two times, both in ODIs in 2019, including during the league stage of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019. 

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India actually have a lot of other good bowlers: Usman Khawaja

Khawaja also praised the other Indian bowlers, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami. While the Aussie opener feels that Siraj is good to both right-handers and left-handers, Shami was very underrated. Also, he didn’t forget to mention Indian quality spinners.  

Khawaja said, "Everyone talks about Jasprit, but they actually have a lot of other good bowlers. I think [Mohammed] Siraj is a very good bowler. He's a very good bowler to both right-handers and left-handers. When [Mohammed] Shami was fit, when he was playing those series, he was a very good bowler. He was very underrated. No one really talked about him. And then they got good spinners lining up, too, which really complements their fast bowlers."

Khawaja clarified that he is busy finding scoring opportunities against Bumrah rather than thinking about only surviving against the Indian pacer. 

Confident Khawaja said, “I'm not thinking about where he is getting me out. I'm thinking about where am I scoring runs against him.” 

In 11 Test innings (6 Test matches) against India, Khawaja scored 377 runs with an average of 37.70, including one century and two half-centuries. During Australia's tour of India in early 2023, Khawaja finished as the leading run-scorer in the four-match Test series by scoring 333 runs. During the series finale Ahmedabad Test, Khawaja scored 180 runs in the first innings. 

Exciting news for Brisbane Heat fans as Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne are set to showcase their skills in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season opener. Both players, who had outstanding performances in the World Test Championship, the Ashes, and Australia’s recent World Cup triumph, will be a thrilling sight for home fans at the beginning of the season.

Expressing their enthusiasm, the Heat team acknowledges the passion Usman and Marnus have for playing with the Heat. Gratitude is extended to Cricket Australia for assisting in confirming the availability of these star players for the BBL opener.

See Also:Reports: Senior Players Positioned to Represent India ‘A’ for Red-Ball Practice Leading up to South Africa Tests

However, Brisbane Heat will miss the contributions of Matthew Renshaw, Nathan McSweeney, Jimmy Peirson, and Michael Neser, all selected for the Prime Minister’s XI squad in a warm-up match against Pakistan ahead of the Test series. On a positive note, the Heat can count on their three draft picks – Sam Billings, Colin Munro, and Paul Walter – who are ready for selection.

Despite a busy schedule with the World Cup and a subsequent T20I series against India, World Cup winners Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis are expected to join the Melbourne Stars, potentially even playing in the opening match. The Stars will also benefit from the availability of Pakistani players Haris Rauf and Usama Mir. Notably, Rauf withdrew from the Pakistan Test team but is committed to participating in the BBL.

After a wait of 1205 days, Virat Kohli finally registered a Test century, bringing up three figures on day four of the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad.

Kohli brought up Test century No.28 after flicking Nathan Lyon for a single and helping India push towards a crucial first-innings lead. There was a gap of 41 innings between his last century and this one, with the previous one coming over three years ago against Bangladesh in November 2019.

Virat Kohli scored a sublime 136 in India’s only innings at the Eden Gardens and helped his team secure an innings and 46-run victory. “600kg Gorilla off his back,” Ravi Shastri boomed on commentary as Kohli raised his bat, then removed his helmet with a smile and kissed his necklace in relief to a standing ovation from the Ahmedabad crowd. He now has eight Test hundreds against Australia, second-most, on par with Sunil Gavaskar on a list that is topped by Sachin Tendulkar, who has 11.

Virat Kohli slams his 75th International Century in style

The star batsman resumed on his overnight score of 59 after he got his first Test half-century since January 2022 on day three on a pitch favouring the batsmen. Kohli, 34, went through an extended lean patch last year, failing to reach three figures in more than 1,000 days. He quit as Twenty20 skipper in late 2021 and in January 2022 was sacked from the one-day captaincy and gave up leading the Test side, too.

The long wait has finally ended for Virat Kohli 🔥#WTC23 | #INDvAUS | 📝 https://t.co/VJoLfVSeIF pic.twitter.com/JGZcVsHvHj— ICC (@ICC) March 12, 2023

But he hit his first ton after 1,020 days in the Asia Cup T20 tournament in September last year and hasn’t looked back since. Kohli finished the T20 World Cup in Australia as the leading run-scorer and then hit three ODI centuries, including two — 113 and 166 not out — against Sri Lanka in January

India stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma moved up in the latest ICC ODI men’s rankings for batters on Wednesday after producing a batting masterclass against Sri Lanka in the first ODI in Guwahati. Kohli scored a stunning hundred in India’s victory against Sri Lanka in the first ODI in Guwahati and has moved up two spots to 6th. Rohit Sharma also scored an aggressive 83 and has gained a spot to sit at 8th. In the bowling charts, Mohammed Siraj is the biggest gainer after scalping two wickets in the first ODI, moving up four spots to 18. 

Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka scored a fighting ton despite his side losing and has gained 20 spots to move to 61. In the bowling charts, Mohammed Siraj is the biggest gainer after scalping two wickets in the first ODI, moving up four spots to 18. In the T20I rankings charts, Suryakumar Yadav continued his reign at the top of the batting charts. Driven by his brilliant century in the third T20I against Sri Lanka. In the T20I rankings charts, Suryakumar Yadav continues his reign at the top of the batting charts. Driven by his brilliant century in the third T20I against Sri Lanka.

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Australia, India players gain big in latest ICC ODI rankings update

Usman Khawaja, following his stunning century in the third and final Test against South Africa in Sydney. Moved up to 8th in the Men’s Test batters’ rankings. Khawaja was unbeaten on 195. Missing out on his double ton as skipper Pat Cummins declared to force a result in a rain-curtailed contest. Khawaja’s exploits saw him gain four spots and break into the top 10. Such has been his exploits in the format, Kohli broke into praise for his teammate. Who was interviewing him following the Guwahati ODI. 

🔹 Australia’s star performers make big gains ⬆️
🔹 Indian players rewarded 👏

Some big movements in the @MRFWorldwide ICC Men’s Player Rankings this week 📈https://t.co/N1jZSShD8a — ICC (@ICC) January 11, 2023

Latham scored 71 and 62 in the second Test in Karachi and has gained a place to move to 19th. Conway’s century in the first innings also sees him move up three spots to 21. Shakeel, who scored his maiden Test ton, has gained twenty spots to move to 30. ICC ODI rankings, Marnus Labuschagne continues his reign at the top of the rankings chart in the batters rankings. Performers from the drawn Test between Pakistan and New Zealand also made big gains. With Tom Latham, Devon Conway and Saud Shakeel making big moves.

Australia batsman Usman Khawaja says the country’s Big Bash League (BBL) needs to open up to private ownership if it is to survive in an undeniably jam-packed market for T20 cricket content.

The BBL, which runs from December to early-February 2023, will clash with South Africa’s new six-group T20 competition beginning in January.

Indian Premier League (IPL) team owners purchased all of the six establishments in the South African association however the BBL’s eight teams are claimed by governing body Cricket Australia and run by state affiliations.

A new league in the United Arab Emirates, additionally owned by IPL cash, is planned to take off in January, making way for extreme fights for the world’s top players.

Khawaja said the BBL faced a “fork in the road” over the next year or two as competition heats up.

“There’s a lot of cogs that make the decisions but personally you shouldn’t be afraid of moving the game forward even if that means that you let go a little bit on the reins, there are other tournaments starting up that are privatised. If you don’t keep up with that, and there’s a small window for the Big Bash to privatise in the next few years, and I’m afraid if we don’t do that we’ll fall behind.”

Khawaja told reporters on Friday.

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Various top players have been named for the BBL’s debut draft, including star Afghan spinner Rashid Khan and West Indian T20 stalwarts Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo.

Be that as it may, Khawaja said others were staying away.

“I’ve talked to a couple and they’ve not listed me for the draft because they want to spend Christmas at home and then will go and play in the UAE. That’s a red flag for me already.”

he concluded

After Usman Khawaja’s Sydney onslaught, Cricket Australia face some challenging questions.  Khawaja came as Travis Head tested positive for Covid-19. Before the Sydney Test though, Head racked up some good numbers of his own. He is the preferred number five, having beat Usman Khawaja to the role at Brisbane. Following his selection, Head consolidated his position with a counter-attacking century, which all but reassures his spot at Hobart.

Khawaja though is coming into Hobart on the back of two hundred in Sydney and has made himself undroppable as well. With both players fighting for the number five spot, and both tough to leave out, the spotlight falls on Marcus Harris, who has struggled through the Ashes.

Recent selection trends show that Australia is leaning on backing players, and they believe in giving players a longer rope. If they continue with the same trend, Marcus Harris could find himself on the side at Hobart but might find it difficult to remain in the side when Australia visits Pakistan.

While Marcus Harris has also struggled for runs, he did play some decent knocks in the series. His innings in Melbourne were a tough one and helped Australia get to a stronger position, which indicates that he could retain his spot. In case Australia feel they want to include both Head and Khawaja though, they’d have to make some tough changes. The first would be slotting Head at number five, and the next task is to ask Usman Khawaja to open.

Usman Khawaja is not new to opening the batting, and he has done the job with Warner in the past. However, he has been adjusting to new roles throughout his career, and to do it again may be a little difficult. The option though remains a likely one, but will not be as straightforward as Australia will then have to pick between Usman Khawaja and Marcus Harris.

Another selection question for Australia will be regarding the bowling attack. Mitchell Starc played all four Tests but will be keen to improve his pink ball tally at Hobart. Scott Boland had an injury in the fourth Test but made it through. Australia though, may not be wanting to take a chance and could rest him, bringing in Jhye Richardson or Michael Neser again. Cameron Green has bowled quite a few overs this season, and his 153 overs across nine first-class games is his highest in a season.

Josh Hazlewood is ruled out of the final Test, but Pat Cummins is likely to continue after missing the second Test and playing the others. With the workload of few bowlers in mind and a toss-up among three batters, there are likely to be a few disappointments and surprise inclusions.