Adelaide, Dec 13 – LatestNewsX: Usman Khawaja, who opened for Australia in the first two Tests, still feels confident about his place in the side even as debate swirls over whether he’ll break into the third Ashes match at Adelaide Oval. The 39‑year‑old, who will celebrate his birthday on day two, insists that he is “100 percent fit” and ready for the game, though he admits that his selection is still up in the air. After Head and Weatherald’s opening partnership won the opening fixtures, Khawaja shrugged off the speculation that his future in the team might be in question. “I’m still valued by the team, still asked to be here to play, so I’m here. I’m always mindful of the future, I always have been. I’m not here to hang on, I’m just here to enjoy my cricket. As long as I’m valued I’m here, I’m doing my job. I just like to compete. I can bat so many different ways. I’ve been successful in all formats, I’ve got gears when I want to. My sample size will tell you that you’ve got to find a way to be consistent for a long period of time, not just over a game or two,” the veteran said, according to Cricket Australia. Khawaja used the opportunity to defend his record, dismiss Head’s earlier comments and make clear that he has no plans to retire soon. “I am the guy who, as much as people sometimes want to have a have a crack at me, I love playing for Australia, I’m still very committed. “I train hard, I do everything right. So for me, it’s irrelevant (what others say). For me, it’s more about just being a professional. People can have opinions that’s absolutely no worries to me. I can’t sit down and worry about what other people think, especially outside of the squad,” he insisted. In Perth, a painful back spasm cut short Khawaja’s opening spell, leaving him unable to bat in the first innings and eventually dropping from the second bowling attack, which forced his exit from that match. Coaches and selectors wrestle with whether to maintain the new strategy that emerged after Head’s record‑tying century in Perth and rapid partnerships at Brisbane, or to return to the earlier approach that had carried Australia to victory. Khawaja admitted that he is not overly bothered by the uncertainty: “I’ve got to be totally honest, it doesn’t really faze me. The older I’ve got, the more comfortable I’ve got with things that I can control and things that I can’t. And I feel really good in terms of I’m ready to go. The rest of it is not in my control. So we’ll see what happens,” he said about the speculation. He revealed his approach to preparation, saying he will take it easy after the flight: “I’m probably a bit more structured in how I’m trying to get ready for this next game. I won’t do too much today – I just came straight off the flight. I’ll walk, loosen up and stretch, then work my way up tomorrow. I’ve never enjoyed doing stuff the day of flights anyway, but I’m probably bit more cautionary about it now.” Khawaja added that the combination of a six‑hour journey and a delay had contributed to his discomfort in Perth: “I think that was half the reason why what happened (in Perth) happened – the long flight, a six‑hour flight, a bit of a delay didn’t help. I did feel sore after it, so always be mindful of flights,” he said. Australia now stands ahead of the series 2–0 as the Adelaide Test rolls out on Wednesday. hs/
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