Khawaja set to sprint for Ashes opener

A series of sprint tests conducted at Edgbaston tomorrow (Monday) will likely decide Usman Khawaja's availability for the opening Ashes Test that is scheduled to begin three days later.

Khawaja has been undergoing rehabilitation since damaging his left hamstring during Australia's World Cup match against South Africa three weeks ago, an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the tournament.

The incumbent number three Test batter was also unable to take part in last week's intra-squad trial game that featured all other Ashes squad aspirants at Southampton, although he did engage in 30 minutes of centre-wicket batting against quicks Chris Tremain and Michael Neser after the match's completion.

Khawaja said today he felt confident he was close to full recovery but added that the fitness test he will be asked to complete at the venue for the Ashes opener tomorrow will be decisive.

"I've done most of the stuff, but I'll do more running tomorrow and that will probably be the last big one I do," Khawaja told reporters today after Australia's first pre-Test training session was affected by constant rain.

"That's the highest level of running I have to do, and if I get through that I think I'll be available for selection.

"The hammy's very good, I've been doing all the rehab and I think it's going really well at the moment.

"With the running stuff, there's components that I've had to do and then there's straight hamstring stuff in the gym.

"I've been doing them over the last three weeks and ticking them off.

"I'm just about running at full speed now, I did a session yesterday that was just about at full speed so I'm not too far off."

Image Id: 055BE98F96184D13A6ACE0614E69D0C6 Image Caption: Khawaja being put through his paces // Getty

With further rain forecast for the remainder of the week in Birmingham, up to and including the first day of the Ashes series, Australia are considering shifting their main training session of the week from Tuesday (as planned) to tomorrow.

If Khawaja fails to prove his fitness, then it seems likely that auxiliary opener Cameron Bancroft might be asked to fill the crucial number three batting berth behind openers David Warner and Marcus Harris.

But if Khawaja proves that he's sufficiently recovered to take his place in the starting XI, he does not feel that his three-week stint on the sidelines while recovering from the injury will have impacted his form.

He had previously been in solid touch during the World Cup with scores of 89, 23 and 88 in the three matches prior to the South Africa game, and also posted a century in Australia's most recent Test match, against Sri Lanka in Canberra last February.

The 32-year-old left-hander said today the fact that he missed just the one World Cup match – Australia's semi-final loss to eventual champions England – plus the limited time that most of his specialist batter teammates spent in the middle at Southampton meant he did not feel short of preparation by comparison.

"I could be in the nets as long as I wanted, I haven't missed anything – only that (intra-squad) game," Khawaja said today when asked if the injury had curtailed the time he spent at the crease in the lead-up to the first Test.

"It's just my hamstring, and that doesn't stop you from batting it just stops you from sprinting.

"So it's just the sprinting stuff that's really stopped me.

"The other stuff hasn't really changed and I haven't missed too much.

"I've been hitting a lot of balls, so from that point of view it hasn't really been that different."

Khawaja also dismissed suggestions that not being able to play in the Southampton fixture might have proved a blessing in disguise, given how difficult conditions were for batters.

As it turned out, only Bancroft and Warner reached half-centuries, with Marnus Labuschagne's first-day total of 41 being the next-best contribution as pace bowlers dominated.

But Khawaja said he would have preferred to play if not for the hamstring injury, even though batting remained problematic throughout the two-and-a-half-day game.

"You still want to bat in the middle," he said.

"I was fortunate I got to bat in the middle after the game finished.

"I didn't enjoy it because the wicket had divots in it, and it was tough work.

"It wasn't a very nice wicket, but being out in the middle and seeing fielders around and not being nets all the time, I enjoyed that.

"I batted for 30 minutes and it was a little bit different, but I think I got enough out of it at the end."

Fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who felt soreness in his right knee while bowling in the game at Southampton, did not take part in today's training session at Edgbaston.

The session was largely restricted to the squad's bowlers who worked on their batting skills in the nets before rain forced them indoors, but skipper Tim Paine and ex-captain Steve Smith also took part.

England begin their preparations for the Ashes series opener at Edgbaston tomorrow. 

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

First Test: August 1-5,Edgbaston

Tour match: Australians v Worcestershire, August 7-9

Second Test: August 14-18,Lord's

Third Test: August 22-26, Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval