Australia may have thumped West Indies by 10 wickets in Adelaide, but victory came at a potential cost with star batter Usman Khawaja taking a nasty blow to the head. Just one run shy of sealing the win, Khawaja flinched away from a Shamar Joseph short ball, copping a painful strike to his jaw.
While initial assessments cleared him of concussion as per Cricket Australia, concerns linger. Usman Khawaja underwent precautionary scans to rule out any jaw fractures, a crucial step before determining his availability for the Brisbane Test starting January 25th.
Adding to the drama, Australia had, for once, chosen to operate without a backup batsman on-site. Matt Renshaw had been granted leave to play in the Big Bash League finals, leaving the team short-handed in case of emergencies.
Usman Khawaja availability for AUS vs WI 2nd Test uncertain
However, with Usman Khawaja seemingly in good spirits despite the sore jaw, Renshaw’s immediate return wasn’t necessary. Yet, the coming days will be crucial. If Khawaja’s scans reveal any damage, Matt Renshaw will be drafted back in, potentially disrupting his BBL commitments.
The Brisbane Test hangs in the balance, hinging on the results of Usman Khawaja’s scans. Cricket fans can only hope that the Aussie opener recovers swiftly, leaving both him and Renshaw free to shine on their respective playing fields.
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