Usman Khawaja has fallen agonisingly short of a famous Ashes century, but may have revived his Test career with a remarkable comeback innings in Adelaide.

The veteran batter’s career appeared over when captain Pat Cummins revealed on Tuesday he would be left out of the side for the Adelaide Test match after missing the second match of the series with a back injury.

But with Steve Smith battling illness, Khawaja was called into the side around an hour before play at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.

Just five hours later, he was dismissed for 82, caught out pulling a ball from England’s spinner Will Jacks into the deep.

It included a second reprieve for the day, when he was dropped at slip by Harry Brook on just five.

Khawaja, who turns 39 on Thursday, was forced to arrest an early Australian wobble after Jake Weatherald and Travis Head were both dismissed. He arrived at the crease with the hosts 2-33 in the 10th over and left with the score 5-185 late in the second session.

He was also at the crease when Marnus Labuschagne and Cam Green were both dismissed by Jofra Archer in the first three balls after the lunch break but steadied in a 91-run partnership with Alex Carey.

Khawaja’s innings now raises fresh questions over his future. Australia says Smith is expected to be well and available for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Head’s brilliant match-winning knock in Perth had initially squeezed Khawaja out of the side, but coach Andrew McDonald had already floated the prospect of a recall for Khawaja in the middle-order well before Smith’s illness actually opened the door.

It could put the heat on West Australian middle-order batsman Josh Inglis, who replaced Khawaja at the crease.

The knock was the veteran left-hander’s biggest in Test cricket since he plundered 232 against Sri Lanka in February and his biggest on home since he scored 90 against Pakistan in Perth in December 2023.