Khawaja bidding to be multi-format player

Usman Khawaja expects to be carrying the drinks in Friday's second Victoria Bitter ODI Series match against India at the Gabba, but says he is buoyed by his limited-overs call-up.

The left-hander was bitterly disappointed to have been overlooked for Australia's one-day series in England last September, but his recent domination of both red- and white-ball cricket saw him called into Australia's one-day squad earlier today as cover for David Warner, who is on paternity leave.

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Khawaja had been a one-day run machine, scoring 1,216 runs at an average of 71.5 with four centuries over an 18-month period, when he missed out on a spot in the squad to play England last year.

"When I found out I was very disappointed," Khawaja said at the time. "I thought I was next in line, but obviously I don't pick the team.

"That’s cricket. That's selection. It happens.

"I’m not the first person to be disappointed about not being selected."

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Since that disappointment, Khawaja has been piling on the runs – albeit with two interruptions due to injury.

His strong form for Australia A led to a spot in the Test squad for the cancelled Qantas Tour of Bangladesh and while a hamstring strain kept him out of the Matador One-Day Cup, he scored two centuries in the first two Tests against New Zealand.

A hamstring injury again sidelined the 29-year-old, but he returned in style, scoring a KFC Big Bash century for the Sydney Thunder at the MCG, before scoring 144 and 56 against West Indies at the same venue.

On Monday night against the Melbourne Renegades, his second appearance for the Thunder yielded 62 from 42 balls.

Warner's departure to be with wife Candice, who is expecting their second child imminently, opens the door for Khawaja's first ODI appearance since February 2013.

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But he will face fierce competition from in-form Shaun Marsh for the vacant opener's position, who was left out of the Perth XI in what Steve Smith dubbed a "tough call".

"I'm just really happy to be selected," Khawaja said today in Sydney. "I'm not sure if I'll play yet or not but it's always nice to be picked and selected, to be rewarded in that way, so I'm excited to be a part of it.

"I'm sure (Warner) will be back sooner rather than later, so I'll keep a spot warm for him while he's away."

Marsh is in a similarly rich vein of form, having scored 182 against the West Indies in the Hobart Test before making way for a fit-again Khawaja on Boxing Day.

Returning to the Scorchers, he scored two unbeaten half-centuries before being included in the ODI squad for the first three matches against India.

"I haven't been told anything, but using common sense, 'SOS' (Marsh) was already there so I'd assume he would slot into Davey's spot and I'll be the spare batsman," Khawaja said.

"I felt I'd put my hand up and I knew I was close. I was disappointed not to get in the first squad but I've been dropped and not selected enough to know that worrying about it is not going to help.

"Hopefully when I do (get a chance), I can take it and be more than a Test player for Australia. At the moment I'm just really happy with the way I'm hitting the white ball."

While in particularly good touch in Australia's Test side and for the Thunder this summer, Khawaja believes it's been his previous Matador Cup performances that have contributed most to his call-up.

"I think my Matador Cup form probably over the last two or three years helped me get this more so than what I've done in the T20 stuff in the last couple of games.

"I've been really happy with my white-ball cricket form over the last few years. We even got a Matador Cup victory a few years ago and I feel very comfortable in the format. I'm just happy to be amongst the boys."