After his greatest yr in Test cricket Usman Khawaja is primed to tackle his ultimate subcontinental frontier of India and win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with Australia.
Australia will subsequent month play the primary of 4 Tests in India, the place the 36-year-old opener toured in 2013 and 2017 with out taking part in any Tests.
Australia haven’t received the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India since 2004.
“For a lot of boys this will be our last Indian tour so we’d love to win it,” Khawaja stated.
“I have been on the other tours. I haven’t played, but I look at this team and I think it is probably the best team I have been a part of to go over and achieve this goal.
“As a crew we have not received there because the early 2000s. We obtained actually shut final time and had numerous alternatives to win however simply could not recover from the road.”
Khawaja scored 1080 runs in the 2022 calendar year and started 2023 with an unbeaten 195 against South Africa at the SCG.
Last year he toured his homeland of Pakistan with great success, making 496 runs at an average of 165.33 in a 1-0 series win and handling the spinners with aplomb.
“I actually like taking part in towards spin. I did not after I was youthful. I do now,” Khawaja stated.
“Spinning circumstances throw numerous cool stuff at you.
“I have been quite successful in the sub-continent the last few years in white-ball and red-ball cricket so things for me won’t really change.
“I do know if I follow my processes I give myself the most effective likelihood to attain.”
Indian spinners on their home tracks are a tough proposition but Khawaja can’t wait to match wits with them.
“Taking them on of their circumstances I feel all people is worked up since you are taking part in towards one of many hardest groups on the earth of their yard,” he said.
The Australians won’t play a practice match in India, a move that has Khawaja’s full approval. Rather they appear set to dust up some wickets at home and prepare as they did ahead of the Pakistan tour last year.
“Have you ever been pre-tour with us? They might be spinning wickets once we play (Tests) however we go to the follow matches and they’re inexperienced Gabba-like wickets on the market so what is the level,” Khawaja grinned.
“I feel we have now lastly discovered. When I heard we weren’t going to have a follow recreation I went as much as (coach) Andrew McDonald and stated ‘Good on ‘ya’.”
The first merchandise on Khawaja’s agenda although is main the Brisbane Heat facet he captains to the BBL finals, beginning with the Hobart Hurricanes on Friday on the Gabba because the hosts search a 3rd consecutive win.
