'Authentic' Khawaja set to end challenging year on top

For all the pre-game examination of symbolic messaging Usman Khawaja may or may not affix to his cricket apparel, it was the face of his bat that did the most voluble talking on Australia cricket's pre-eminent day.

Khawaja carried an air of resigned disappointment as he slowly departed the MCG shortly after lunch on a rain-interrupted Boxing Day, having been smartly caught at slip for an occasionally fluent 42.

But barring an MCG record individual knock by teammate Travis Head, and the equally unlikely event Khawaja doesn't bat again in this NRMA Insurance Test, the principled opener will end 2023 as the leading runs scorer in the men's Test game.

To have achieved that benchmark while also airing his increasingly plaintive calls for global peace and children's rights lends even greater authority to his voice.

And to have crested that peak while occupying arguably the most difficult role among Test batters – against the new-ball, and often on the most challenging pitch conditions at the outset of a match – underscores his standing within the game he continues to grace.

With five days remaining in 2023, Khawaja's tally stands at 1210 runs (average 55) which is almost 300 more than Head who resumes unbeaten on nine tomorrow, with the highest Test score posted at the famous ground remaining Bob Cowper's 307 in the 1965-66 Ashes campaign.

What can't change between now and year's end is Khawaja's record as the first Australia batter since Steve Smith during his purple period (2014-17) to pass 1,000 runs in successive calendar years, and the first Australia opener to achieve the feat since current partner David Warner (2014-15).

Like so much of his formative career in top-level cricket, and similar to events of the past few weeks where his preparedness to speak out in support of international human rights has placed him at odds with ICC officialdom, today's runs did not come without challenge.

But despite being thwarted in plans to sport the slogans 'all lives are equal' and 'freedom is a human right' on his playing shoes, and then to carry the universal peace symbols of a dove and olive branch on his bat, the 37-year-old took to the field on Boxing Day bearing a poignant message.

While he was charged under the ICC's Clothing and Equipment Regulations for wearing a black armband during the opening Test of the current series against Pakistan in Perth (which he explained commemorated a personal bereavement) he seems certain to escape sanction for the latest show of symbolism.

Written on his shoes while batting almost two and half hours at the MCG today were the names of his and wife Rachel's two children, Aisha and Ayla, with Warner revealing he has also emblazoned his children's names on his shoes for "a long time" and has not been asked to explain his actions.

"That's just something he decided to do," Warner said of his lifelong friend whom he began playing cricket alongside at primary school level.

"Uzzie's always been the type of person to say how it is, but whenever he says it it's definitely meaningful and he says it with a purpose.

"He's always been a leader around the group, he was a leader at New South Wales when we were young, he's always been that guy whose put his hand up to help, especially with his community stuff.

"The work that goes on behind the scenes for his community and his foundation, is outstanding.

"That's the person he is, and he's got a lot of respect from a lot of people."

Prior to play getting underway before a crowd of 62,167 on Boxing Day, Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley reiterated he had been working closely with Khawaja to try and secure ICC approval for the opener to achieve a meaningful show of symbolism.

Hockley noted the ICC "have got very clear rules in place, for good reason" but added that CA supported players "to share what they believe over their own (social media) channels".

In speaking to media this morning after his elevation to Australia Cricket's Hall of Fame was announced, ex-Test legend Michael Hussey threw his support behind the opener whose passion for human rights is matched only by his irresistible late-career form.

"I think his real authentic self is coming out, this is who Uzzie is," said Hussey who played alongside Khawaja for Australia and for Sydney Thunder in the BBL.

"He's very passionate in his beliefs, his morals and his values.

"He's not afraid to put them out there and I'm quite proud of him.

"I don't think he's trying to be divisive or political or anything like that.

"I feel as though he's (taken) a humanitarian view on life.

"I respect what he's done, he's got to follow the rules that are set by the ICC but he certainly is sticking true to what he believes in."

When Khawaja and Warner walked out to bat under grey skies at the MCG today, they received a rapturous ovation that was matched when the left-hander struck the day's opening boundary with a glide to third man off the second delivery he faced.

But today was not to be an innings of his typically languid and free-flowing strokeplay, as Khawaja battled some often tight and occasionally exceptional Pakistan bowling to reach 42 at which point he guided a catch to second slip.

It remains to be seen if he will bat again before 2024 rolls around, with the likelihood he won’t remaining a very slim chance given bowler-friendly conditions in Melbourne.

The bigger question is how much longer the committed family man and citizen will continue at Test level, even though he stands on the cusp of an even more significant feat than ending 2023 as the game's most prolific performer with the bat.

Should he opt to play through 2024, or further still with huge home summers against India and England looming, he might conceivably join Don Bradman (aged 39 in 1948) and India's Rahul Dravid (38 in 2011) as the only batters to have scored 1000 runs in a calendar year where they turned 38 or beyond.

"I think Uzzie's spoken about how he was resigned to the fact he was done a few years back, and now he's just playing like every game is his last," said Warner, the soon-to-be-retired Test opener when asked about how long he felt his friend and batting partner could continue for Australia.

"His last 12 months has been absolutely phenomenal, and he can play as long as he wants to and feels comfortable."

NRMA Insurance Test series v Pakistan

First Test: Australia won by 360 runs

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG (10.30am AEDT)

Third Test: January 3-7, SCG (10.30am AEDT)

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, David Warner

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi