Usman Khawaja

Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb registered fifties while Indian seamer Mohammed Shami was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets. After his shock axing in ...

The 36-year-old eventually departed for 15 after Shami got a delivery to nip away off the surface, kissing the outside edge and carrying through to wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat. Khawaja, Peter Handscomb and Matthew Renshaw were each trapped on the pads in both innings at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, utterly outclassed by Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. “From what we understand this pitch has been used three times already this year and there’s already substantial cracking in the areas where most of the game is going to be played. Shami, who finished with 4-60 from 14.4 overs, returned in the afternoon session to remove Travis Head, edging the ball towards second slip where KL Rahul claimed a smart catch. It was a stark contrast to last week’s pitch in Nagpur, where short-pitched bowling was a rarity. “It’s a bit unusual going the three spin and one quick. Cummins was the lone seamer, with all-rounder Cameron Green unavailable for selection with a finger injury. The right-hander was patient in the middle, rarely losing focus or misjudging a delivery. After a successful home summer against South Africa and Pakistan in 2016/17, Khawaja was dropped ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India a couple of months later, with Australian selectors preferring all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. And given his last Tour of England was a horror, they might be thinking, ‘This is the time’.” Khawaja suddenly averaged 14.62 after five Tests in Asia with a high score of 26. “I know he missed out on the first Test match and he made that great 200 at the MCG.

On a pitch that offered turn and occasionally kept low, Handscomb and Khawaja didn't reach for the ball to drive; instead hung back to work the angles.

Staying back and guiding the ball around the square was a preferred option. Instead, he nurdled it around the square to rotate the strike. With the trauma of the three-day Nagpur Test on the Jamtha turner on the back of their minds, the Aussies were understandably guarded. In trying to fox him, Jadeja would pull the ball back but the gritty left-hander would still go ahead with the reverse. When the ball is full, he immediately plonks his back leg down on the knee. At Kotla on Friday, the Australian batsmen inverted the good old V — the area of field old-school coaches would ask the top order batsmen to focus on — upside down.

KL Rahul pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Usman Khawaja as Australia toiled on Day 1 of the second Test in Delhi on Friday.

It's been a really good preparation and everyone is raring to go.' KL Rahul (left) took a superb catch to dismiss Usman Khawaja in the second Test Khawaja was swiftly followed in the sheds by Alex Carey, who was out for a duck after nicking Ravi Ashwin to first slip, where Virat Kohli made no mistake. KL Rahul pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Usman Khawaja as - KL Rahul took a superb catch to remove Usman Khawaja for 81 KL Rahul pulls off STUNNING 'game-changing' catch as he dismisses Usman Khawaja with superb one-handed grab after Australian opener led tourists' fightback in the second Test against India

Usman Khawaja was in sight of another Test century when he was undone by a brilliant catch.

Khawaja said the pitch was already starting to play up. he gets out and reaches out and it makes the bowler change what they're trying to do. Australia was bowled out for 262 early on day two. a reflex catch," he told. fortunately I could score some runs today." "It was hit really firmly by Usman Khawaja. I think that's what people don't realise ... Khawaja and Handscomb steadied the Aussie innings at a crucial moment in the Test. "The game plan [has] been pretty steady for me over the last year and a half in the sub continents ... Caught it behind him. Khawaja stood for a moment in disbelief before trudging off the ground. [Peter Handscomb](https://wwos.nine.com.au/peter-handscomb) when he smoked a reverse sweep through point that was a guaranteed four, but somehow Rahul - at full stretch - got a mitt to it and it stuck, to give Ravindra Jadeja his first wicket of the match.

Peter Handscomb (72 not out) and Usman Khawaja (81) played key knocks to boost Australia's total after the tourists, who lost the opener of the four-match ...

Australia batter Usman Khawaja defended his opening partner David Warner and stated that the left-hander will turn things around for himself.

He looked like he was in the game, and created a few half-chances. He’s a terrific young player, he’s a terrific young person and he’s a competitor. I play by what I think is right for the wicket when I go out. I think now that we have three spinners in this team, especially on that wicket, it’s going to be challenging. I feel like 260 is pretty good, but we’re going to have to wait and see tomorrow what India gets. The opening batter heaped praises on left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann stating that the bowler is a fierce competitor having captained him in the Australian domestic circuit. “I mean, I didn’t get a chance to play the first game. Talking about the team’s total being good enough given the bounce and turn offered by the pitch, he said, “Look, it’s difficult for us, it was difficult for me, but I don’t know the par score unless India bats on it, we’ll know by tomorrow. I feel how the bowlers are trying to bowl to me and then I read the game from there. I just play by the feel. I got a couple to get me going. I think there’s still a long way to go in this Test series.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir criticized Usman Khawaja for his mode of dismissal on day one of the second Test on Friday, saying that the shot was ...

You could have rotated easily, there was a fielder at long-on, there was a deep square leg, take a single and go to the other end." Khawaja got out trying to play a reverse sweep off Ravindra Jadeja. You might have scored a lot of runs with that shot for sure but you have to look at the stage of the game at times."

Warner has scores of 1, 10 and 15 in the series so far with Mohammed Shami getting him twice with fuller length deliveries angling in.

“I just feel how the bowlers are trying to bowl to me and then I read the game from there. He obviously got a knock to the arm and then to the head and the head has made him a little bit weary and hence why he didn’t come out to field. And when it is reversing, they are also very good.” “Played by feel” “I don’t know a par score until India bats on it. “I have to kind of disagree with what you’re saying. I got a couple (of boundaries) to get me going.