MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) – Usman Khawaja’s bid to reclaim his spot in Australia’s top order for the Boxing Day Test against West Indies is back on track after the batsman was passed fit to play in the domestic Twenty20 competition.Khawaja missed the West Indies series-opener in Hobart and the third and final Test against New Zealand in Adelaide last month after suffering a hamstring injury against the Black Caps in Perth.
The left-hander was rested for Sydney Thunder’s ‘Big Bash’ opener on Thursday but passed a fitness test yesterday and will pad up for the side at the Melbourne Cricket Ground tomorrow.
If he emerges from that unscathed, Khawaja is expected to be picked for the second Test against West Indies in Melbourne, leaving selectors with a tough call to drop either opener Joe Burns or batsman Shaun Marsh.
Marsh has performed well since replacing Khawaja at Adelaide and smashed 182 in Hobart in a record-setting partnership with Adam Voges that set up a dominant win and a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.
Burns starred in the series-opener against New Zealand in Brisbane, scoring 71 and 129, but has had a modest output in the three Tests since.
“Whoever they leave out, they’re going to be hard done by,” former captain Michael Clarke told local media.
“Joe Burns got a beautiful hundred in the first Test and I think his contribution with (opener) David Warner has been really important.
“Shaun Marsh grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
“Whoever they go with will perform. Whoever they leave out will go back to state cricket and continue to make runs and wait for another opportunity.”