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Usman Khawaja not affected as spot in XI remains unclear ahead of Test series against India

Australian batsman Usman Khawaja has stated that he is least affected by the uncertainty surrounding his position in the Test XI for the first Test against India at Adelaide. 

The 31-year-old will be expected to open or walk in at number 3, based on the decision to select either opener Marcus Harris or middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb. 

Harris’s selection will see Khawaja walk in at the fall of the first wicket.

However, he will continue to open the batting if the selectors decide to invest their faith in right-handed batsman Handscomb. 

“It’s something that’s not on my mind because it doesn’t really bother me,” Khawaja told SEN radio.  

“I’m just training as I would (for) any other game, ready to get out there and play some cricket.”

“I’m prepared to bat wherever I’m told to bat. I’m expecting it to be three or opening, but we have two openers in the side.”

“At the moment (I think) it’s three, but if they want me to open I’m happy to open,” he added. 

Khawaja credits a comparatively more mature mindset to cricket and life for his ability to remain calm despite the uncertainty involved. 

“When I was younger it was probably a little bit different. I was really stuck on No.3 because that’s where I’d batted my whole life in first-class cricket,” said Khawaja.

“I was like, ‘Nah, I’m a No.3, I have to bat No.3’.

“But as you get a bit older and you play a bit more cricket you realise there really isn’t too much difference apart from a slight change of mindset,” he concluded. 

The 31-year-old will be looking to make his presence felt in the crucial upcoming Test series, after being backed by Ricky Ponting to emerge as the leading run-scorer ahead of Virat Kohli. 

Source: Zee News