The Ashes: Usman Khawaja didn’t come out to open batting for Australia after playing 18 holes of golf
Usman Khawaja didn’t come out to open the batting on Friday because he suffered back spasms a day after playing 18 holes of golf.
Australia explained his absence from the field during England’s innings was due to “back spasms”.
Khawaja was not allowed to immediately bat alongside Test debutant Jake Weatherald because he had spent too much time off the field getting treatment during England’s innings.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.It meant Labuschagne, on return to the Test team after being dropped for the West Indies series earlier this year, had to move up the order to open the batting.
In a statement, the team explained: “Usman battled back stiffness through the day, he had a back spasm the second time he left the field. He was stretching to overcome the spasm.
“(It was) unfortunate timing due to the manner of how the innings ended. He did not have an injury prior to today.”
The Nightly understands Khawaja was among Australian players who played golf at Lake Karrinyup Country Club on Thursday.
He later batted at No.4 and was dismissed for just two off six balls as part of an Australian collapse that meant the hosts finished the day 9-123 and still 49 runs behind England’s first-innings score of 172.
Mystery surrounded Khawaja’s issue when he first left the field of play, with toilet breaks and stretching the first explanation by team officials for his absence.
It emerged after stumps that he had been battling the back problem the second time he left the field.
Cricket Australia say he did not carry any injury issues into the match.
Fast bowler Mitchell Starc said he did not know how the injury came about and that teammates weren’t aware of the issue until late in their bowling innings.
“I didn’t know about it until the ninth wicket when he still had 10 minutes or so because he spent time off the field,” he said.
“I think he had a back spasm there the second time he came off, so we got caught off-guard a little bit with the wickets falling pretty quickly at the back-end there.
“It’s just unfortunate that that was the case. He’ll manage it overnight and see where it’s at tomorrow.”
Marnus Labuschagne — who was used as an opener alongside Khawaja in this winter’s World Test Championship final — was elevated to the role, but the dismissal of debutant Jake Weatherald in the first over meant Khawaja also slid behind Steve Smith in the order.
