Usman Khawaja's Participation In The Gabba Test Still In Doubt As Fresh Medical Reports Emerge A Day After The 1st Test

Published - 20 Jan 2024, 01:16 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:25 AM

Usman Khawaja was struck on the jaw by Shamar Joseph (Credits:X)

Usman Khawaja will require more concussion tests in the coming days before he is declared fit to feature for Australia in the second Test against West Indies which is scheduled to begin on Thursday at The Gabba in Brisbane. He scored 45 off 111 deliveries in the first innings and then in the second innings was retired hurt on nine runs when Australia required just one run to win the Test.

Usman Khawaja was blown away from a jaw-breaking hit by a bouncer from impressive debutant Shamar Joseph with Australia requiring just one run to win on Friday. Marnus Labuschagne scored the winning runs for Australia after Khawaja retired hurt just two deliveries before the winning run was scored. Usman Khawaja cleared the initial concussion test on the ground and later went through the scans which cleared him of a fractured jaw. However, Cricket Australia protocols require regular examinations in case of delayed concussion.

“He had a check-in today and all is fine,” a Cricket Australia spokesman said on Saturday. “He will have more tests in the next few days.” Andrew McDonald said he was “hopeful that he will be OK [to play].”

Usman Khawaja’s Concussion Substitute Went To Play A BBL Game

Australia was fortunate that Usman Khawaja’s injury was so late in the game and not as serious as first feared because Australia’s concussion substitute Matthew Renshaw was released from the squad to feature in the Big Bash League (BBL) Qualifier for Brisbane Heat playing against Sydney Sixers. Matthew Renshaw scored 16(10) in the qualifiers against Sydney Sixers. Brisbane Heat lost the game and will now play the Challenger round.

Andrew McDonald defended the decision to release Matthew Renshaw to play in the BBL qualifier for the Brisbane Heat. If West Indies had forced the game to the fourth day and Khawaja’s injuries would have been more serious, Matthew Renshaw would have been forced to rush from the Gold Coast to Adelaide on Saturday morning. Matthew Renshaw will play in the Challenger round for Brisbane Heat and will face the winners of the Knockout between Perth Scorchers and Adelaide Strikers.

“We consider the risk when we release players and I think it’s about point five per cent of a chance in terms of concussion happening, so it was ironic that about the first time we’ve let a player go back to Big Bash, there was a head knock,” McDonald said. “Fortunately enough, the game was in a position where we thought that it wasn’t going to be a higher risk, necessarily. So we were happy for Renners to go back and play for the Heat.”

Australia will be facing West Indies in the second Test at The Gabba in Brisbane starting from January 25, Thursday. They are currently on the top of the WTC points table and are also the defending WTC champions. Usman Khawaja is likely to play in the second Test as his injury is not very serious and the scans have also ruled out the possibility of a fracture which means a delayed concussion is the only thing that can stop Khawaja from playing in the second Test.

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Andrew Mcdonald AUS vs WI 2024 Australia National Cricket Team Matthew Renshaw Shamar Joseph Usman Khawaja West Indies National Cricket Team