Australian Test opener Usman Khawaja has launched a stunning attack on the Perth pitch used for the first Ashes Test, describing it in explicit terms that could land him in hot water with Cricket Australia.
Controversial Comments Contradict ICC Rating
In a remarkable contradiction to the International Cricket Council's assessment, Khawaja pulled no punches when discussing the Optus Stadium wicket. The ICC had given the surface its highest possible rating of "very good" just one day before Khawaja's explosive comments at a fundraising lunch for his Usman Khawaja Foundation in Brisbane.
The veteran batsman pointed to the dramatic fall of wickets as evidence of the pitch's poor quality. "Nineteen wickets on the first day and about 20 people got hit. That's a great wicket, that seems real fair," Khawaja remarked with heavy sarcasm.
He highlighted similar concerns from last year's Test against India, where 17 wickets fell on the opening day. "The same thing happened last year in the India Test. It's just that day-one wicket, the ball just does not react," he explained.
Variable Bounce the Major Concern
Khawaja identified unpredictable bounce as the primary issue with the Perth surface, making batting exceptionally challenging. "You can't really predict up and down. Up and down is the hardest. Sideways is little bit easier," the 38-year-old noted, explaining how the variable bounce affects batsmen's timing.
The opener revealed that Australian teams have developed a specific strategy when playing at Perth, hoping to win the toss and bat first with the intention of batting again late on day two or early day three when conditions typically improve.
Khawaja used teammate Steve Smith's struggles to illustrate his point. "Steve Smith's by far the best cricketer I've ever played with and he's missing the middle of his bat by a long way. He does not miss the middle of his bat, (yet) he's getting hit in the elbow," he stated.
Back Injury and Recovery Details
The comments came as Khawaja discussed the back spasms that prevented him from opening the batting in Perth, though he made a point of fielding on day two to enable him to bat in Australia's chase. Team medical staff had warned him the injury could worsen significantly, but Khawaja insisted on playing.
"Before I went on the physio said, 'Look, you're feeling good now, the slightest movement can make it three, four or 10 times worse, that's the risk'," Khawaja recalled. His response was unequivocal: "I was like, I either do that or I don't open for my country."
The injury ultimately flared when he jumped for a ball that flew over his head at slip. "As I landed, I thought, 'Oh no. Please, you're good, it's just mind over matter'. And then every ball I was trying to get down to, it got worse... I had to call (Alex) Carey over and I was like, 'I can't stand up'," he described.
Khawaja has since been recovering with innovative methods, including sleeping with a pregnancy pillow, and remains confident he'll be fit for the Brisbane Test. The recent Ashes opener lasted just 847 balls, making it the second-shortest result Test in Australian history after a 1932-33 match against South Africa at the MCG.
Cricket Australia has defended the Perth pitch, maintaining that the ICC's "very good" rating justified their belief the wicket created a "fair balance between bat and ball." Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc revealed last week that Australian players still prefer starting the Test summer at the Gabba rather than Perth.
