Usman Khawaja ruled out of the Brisbane Test

PL reports that Australia may have seen the last of the veteran opener.

Usman Khawaja’s Test career is hanging by a thread after the veteran was ruled out of the Brisbane Test with a back injury.

The opener, who did not take his place at the top of the order in either innings of the first Test because of back spasms, was ruled out half an hour before Australia’s main net session at the Gabba on Tuesday evening.

The move allows Australia to go with Josh Inglis or Beau Webster in the middle order if Travis Head opens again. Inglis mad a century on debut in Sri Lanka, while Webster brings batting, slow bowling and seam to the mix.

Khawaja had faced some throwdowns the day before, but had been under pressure after the experiment to open with Head in the second innings of the first Test had changed the course of the game.

Head’s 123 runs from just 83 deliveries left England shell-shocked. Only two other batters in the match passed 50 on a wicket which Khawaja described as “shit”, but the ICC ranked as “very good”.

Head has made it clear since that he is happy to open again, and many experts believe the hard-hitting batter is the perfect antidote to the speed of England’s fast bowling attack, even if they will be missing the injured Mark Wood in the second match.