The Ashes: Usman Khawaja throws spanner in the works for Australian selectors

Khawaja played in the Ashes opener in Perth but was suffering from back spasms, which saw him forced down the order where he contributed just two runs before a snorter from Brydon Carse bounced him out. He didn’t bat in the second innings, then was left out altogether at the Gabba.

Now, the 38-year-old has recovered from his issue and will be available for selection. This creates a headache for selectors. Openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald have shown good intent, making two 70-plus stands in quick time. Head also scored a swashbuckling century as Australia romped home in the first test. 

Former Australia great Michael Clarke believes that Khwaja will be brought back, though he doesn’t back he decision.

"I think the selectors will pick him," Clarke told ESPN.

"I think he'll be back at the top of the order. I don't know if I would make a change, to be honest.

"I think I've said before, normally with senior players like that and certainly when you get to that age, you're selected for big tournaments, either a World Cup or an Ashes series, and at the end of those, your time is done.

"Australia are 2-0 up. We've got someone at the top of the order that scored an unbelievable hundred. I don't know if they need to go back to that now. I know that might be hard on Uzzy because he's had a wonderful career and been a big player.

"His spot wasn't spoken about before a ball was bowled in this series, but things have changed. Australia's dominating, their style of play is working, so I don't know if I would go back to that."

Khawaja has averaged 31.84 in Test cricket since the end of the 2023 Ashes, scoring just one century - a big 232 against Sri Lanka - in that time.