Australian batsman vows to bounce back after contract snub

SYDNEY (AFP): Australian batsman Usman Khawaja has vowed to bounce back after being dropped a few days ago from the list of contracted players.

Earlier, the top-order batsman was omitted from Australia’s annual list of 20 elite, contracted players in 2020, after falling out of favour with selectors midway through last year’s Ashes.

In an interview with an international sports channel, Usman Khawaja said, “Without sounding arrogant, I still feel like I’m one of the top six batsmen in the country.”

He further said, “If you’re performing, you’re performing; it’s not like I’m 37 or 38 and coming into right at the end of my career.” He played the last tests against England in Leeds last August.

There are whispers about Khawaja’s vulnerability against spin bowling. In this regard, Usman Khawaja said that he second only to Steve Smith played when it came to negotiating the slow bowlers.

“My playing against spin has been right up there as some of the best in the county. Bar maybe Steve Smith, who is an absolute genius,” he said. “But the most important thing is to score runs.”

Former Australia captain Allan Border has termed Khawaja’s omission from the list of contracted players “strange”, while former test player Mark Waugh expects the batsman to force his way back into the squad.