Former Australian captain Mark Taylor does not want Usman Khawaja in the team for the upcoming Ashes series at home.
Australia’s opening partnership in Tests has been struggling to find stability. After the top-order failures in the ICC Test Championship final, Taylor questioned the decision to drop young opener Sam Konstas. According to the former captain, Konstas should be brought back for the upcoming West Indies series.
Since David Warner retired after the Sydney Test against Pakistan in January 2024, no one has firmly established themselves as Khawaja’s opening partner. In the next two series against West Indies and New Zealand, Steven Smith opened alongside Khawaja.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India, after Nathan Lyon failed in the first three Tests, Konstas was given a chance to open with Khawaja in the last two Tests. He made a splash in his debut innings in Melbourne, playing some audacious shots on his way to a fifty, creating a buzz in the cricket world. However, the 19-year-old couldn’t build on that initial success, scoring modestly in the next two innings.
Although he was part of the Sri Lanka tour squad later, Konstas didn’t make the playing XI and was sent home midway through the series to play domestic cricket. In that series, Travis Head was promoted to open alongside Khawaja as a strategic move.
In the recent ICC Test Championship final at Lord’s against South Africa, Marnus Labuschagne was handed the opening spot, despite never having opened in his previous 57 Tests.
Labuschagne managed to hold his ground in both innings but failed to play any big innings, scoring 17 and 22. South Africa ended Australia’s 27-year wait to win the ICC trophy by defeating them by five wickets.
In an interview with Australian media Nine.com.au, Taylor said the team management should reinstate Konstas as an opener for the Caribbean tour.
“David Warner retired almost two years ago, and we haven’t really found a proper replacement. To be honest, they haven’t tried that hard. Travis Head was pushed up the order in Sri Lanka, and after that stunning 60-run debut innings in Melbourne, Konstas was still dropped. I think we need to bring Konstas back for the West Indies tour,” Taylor said.
Khawaja also failed to impress in the final, not crossing double digits in either innings. Cameron Green, given a chance at number three for the first time, could only last five balls across both innings.
Taylor, who led Australia in 50 Tests, does not want Khawaja in the team for the home Ashes series later this year.
“Another issue Australia has is Usman Khawaja in the top order. He’s not playing well against fast bowlers. His average over the last few years is 34. If you look at his double century on slow, low wickets in Sri Lanka, his average there is 25. There are problems with the top order with Marnus and definitely Usman. We need to fix this because England will bring some very good fast bowlers, and we have to sort our top order.”
Australia’s three-Test series against West Indies will begin on June 25.
