'I want him to get out there, smash it, try and win this Test match.'
'...there'll be nerves and a bit of pressure, but that's all part of it, and I'm just excited to see what it all brings.'
Virat Kohli's struggles against balls outside the off-stump in the ongoing Test series against Australia has the great Allan Border wondering if the Indian superstar has "just lost that edge".
Usman Khawaja will replace Travis Head in Australia's middle order for this week's fourth Ashes Test against England in the only change to the side that wrapped up the series in Melbourne last week.
Problems surrounding his family had made it tough for Usman Khawaja to be at the top of his game for Australia
Images from Day 1 of the fifth Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
Australia are already without another regular all-rounder in Cameron Green, who was ruled out of the India series after opting to have surgery on a stress fracture in his lumbar spine.
Usman Khawaja made the comparison with India when asked about the challenge of competing in thick smog.
In-form batsman Usman Khawaja should be part of Australia's World Cup plans despite the imminent returns of Steve Smith and David Warner, former captain Ricky Ponting has said.
Top order batsman Usman Khawaja has been 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. The 33-year-old lefthander has not played for the Test side since being dropped after the third match against England in Leeds last August.
India will be under tremendous pressure when they face an equally circumspect Australia in a battle of two out-of-form batting units in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth
The 31-year-old was out of action since undergoing a surgery on a torn meniscus which he had sustained during their Test series against Pakistan in October in the UAE.
The Perth Test marks Bumrah's second stint as a stand-in captain, having also led his country against England in 2022, and he could not have been dealt a tougher hand.
The brother of Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has been taken into custody by counter-terrorism police
Australia have drafted in wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade as replacement for injured Usman Khawaja ahead of Thursday's Cricket World Cup semi-final against England, the International Cricket Council said on Wednesday.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann will have a 'private chat' with Usman Khawaja after the top order batsman publicly criticised selectors for dropping him during the Sri Lanka tour. Khawaja and opener Joe Burns were omitted for the third and final test in Colombo, which Australia lost to slump to a 3-0 series whitewash. Although both the Queenslanders struggled for runs, Khawaja told local media over the weekend he felt they were unfairly singled out.
Cameron Green's injury could open up the door for Cameron Bancroft's Test recall in the marquee Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India next month.
Despite the challenging build-up, Gambhir said he is "extremely confident" of retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The players will hope to be as confident as they prepare for the fight to keep their World Test Final chances alive.
Khawaja and Stoinis were included despite losing their national contracts after falling out of favour with selectors over the home summer.
India did not respect the match situation, the playing conditions, and the bowlers, and they've paid a price for it.
'I'm leaning towards McSweeney now for that opening role at the start of the Australian summer.'
Ravi Shastri, who knows a thing or two about winning Test rubbers in Australia, on Thursday asked India skipper Rohit Sharma
His loss for even part of the series would be a huge blow to a team already missing so much batting experience because of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.
Australia opener Nathan McSweeney is gearing up for a challenging debut against India's premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
If the humiliation of India being able to declare their second innings on 487/6 reflected poorly on the bowling unit, it was the Australian batting line-up dismissed for 104 in their first innings that bore the brunt of the blame.
A survivalist's mindset sees Indian batsmen fail again on the first day of the SCG Test.
Out-of-form skipper Rohit Sharma's batting position will be in focus against a dangerous Australia
'Unique action, and it's a little bit tricky to pick up some cues.'
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Australia in Perth?
Former all-rounder Shane Watson has advised the Australian team to avoid getting into confrontations with Virat Kohli in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Back-to-back Test series wins over Australia are almost unheard of but India have won the last four they have played.
Australia's Test regulars will skip the three-match series against Pakistan in November as they prepare for the blockbuster clash against India.
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald believes the absence of Mohammed Shami during the marquee Border Gavaskar Trophy next month is a huge loss for India.
With the series locked at 1-1, Brisbane could well decide the course of the rubber and whether Rohit's men would continue to be the master of their fate in the ongoing World Test Championship.
The biggest positives with the bat in Perth were Virat Kohli regaining his rhythm and Jaiswal's coming of age hundred in his debut Test in Australia. Both will look to build on those significant gains in Adelaide.
The blockbuster series will be a survival of the fittest as Australia look to avenge successive losses on home soil when they go head-to-head from Friday.
Former Australian skipper Aaron Finch said that Alex Carey and Rishabh Pant, two left-handed wicketkeeper-batters will be extremely important for their respective sides during the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.
'(Bumrah) is so unique, and that's with any of the bowlers, really. Every (batter) picks up different cues and goes about it in a different way.'
Having recovered from a hamstring strain, Usman Khawaja celebrated his recall with a glittering 144, with Queensland team mate Joe Burns making 128 in front of a festive Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd to drive Australia to 345-3 at stumps.
Khawaja passed a fitness Test on Monday after recovering from a hamstring injury and Langer confirmed the left-hander will bat at number three, while fast bowler Pattinson is set to feature in his first Test match since Feb. 2016.
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