OPINION - Drenched in the Sweat of Success, Usman Khawaja Lives the Asian Dream

Sweat, sweep and a stellar 12 hours 40 minutes stay at the crease, across the two innings, turned out to be Usman Khawaja’s career-defining Test match. And the fact that it all unfolded in the sub-continent makes it a whole lot more special. It was the longest, regarding overs, the baggy green brigade ever batted in the fourth innings to dig in for a draw.

Pakistan was stunned having declared on the 4th day of the match, giving themselves five sessions to seal a victory. They must have backed themselves after collecting all ten wickets for just 60 runs in the first innings. But that is the beauty of Test cricket and skipper Tim Paine along with his band of boys just did the unthinkable.

Usman Khawaja grinds it out ugly

Let’s shift our focus back to the man of the hour. Any teenager, who picked the bat this summer knows Khawaja’s struggle in Asia. An average of 14 with a best of 26 and multiple snubs will make for a forgettable story. There were reports of him being called ‘lazy’ whenever the turning red-ball trapped him. The same newspapers have now put up stories of his heroics. His eight-hour, 44-minute vigil in the second innings under 39-degree heat earned him stag entry into numerous records.

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Usman’s 85 in the first innings, followed by a 302-ball 141 not only saved the day for the Aussies but gave them a realistic opportunity of winning a series in Asia in nearly seven years.

Khawaja learnt his lessons well. The opener didn’t lunge on to the front foot and instead negotiated the turners on back-foot. He also swept off Yasir Shah’s deliveries that hit the rough. His was a chance-less knock, but the southpaw got tested early on. Abbas looked sharp and impressive early on day five. He beat Khawaja’s bat on more than one occasion and made sure that the batter is aware of his presence. But Khawaja was in a world of his own. He was timing the ball well, counting the hours left in the day’s play and sipping-in enough fluid on drink breaks to keep Sarfraz Ahmed on mute mode.

Uzzie’s fitting reply to the critics

After acing the role of a senior-batsman, Khawaja teed-off his critics. He re-stated that he puts in the hard-yards just like his colleagues and people shouldn’t just go by his ‘easy-going’ nature.

“Yeah there was definitely something there I reckon. It was mostly just about getting a hundred for Australia. In the last day of a match you’re trying to save a game,” Khawaja said. “A lot of work goes into playing cricket at the highest level; I’ve worked as hard as anyone, I’ve worked my backside off for the last ten years of first-class cricket, day in, day out. People think because of my relaxed nature that’s not the case, that I’ve been gifted to be able to get to where I am, but it’s not the case at all.”

Khawaja’s fitness put to test

It wasn’t an overnight success story for ‘Uzzie’. Behind the smiling cricketer was a man who was desperate to live his dreams. Khawaja shed seven kgs post the horrific tour of South Africa. His fitness level was put to the test, and the opener passed with flying colours. He rates his first innings brilliance quite highly. In his own words, he said,

“That first innings batted 85, and that was as tough as any innings as I’ve played. I was drenched. “I came off the field with sweat through my shirt. My shirt was drenched, and pants were drenched. That took it out of me a fair bit.”

“That took it out of me; I’ve never had an innings like that. Just trying to bat really. I was feeling pretty good for most of it until we got to the second session with one hour left before tea, then I was withering. I was just asking for God to get the sun down so we could get some shade. We got in the change rooms and felt good again after I got in there and then it got a bit cooler. I just love batting and I was just enjoying batting out there and enjoying getting a few partnerships with the boys and playing cricket for Australia. It’s what you dream to do.” the player of the match said.