Lehmann pondering a place for Khawaja

Cricket365
December 16, 2015

Australia coach Darren Lehmann is in the unenviable yet lucky position of having too many batsmen to choose from for the second Test against the West Indies, and must find a place for now-fit Usman Khawaja.

While Khawaja has not fully proven his fitness from a hamstring injury which ruled him out of the New Zealand series, Lehmann said that some matches in the Big Bash League should do the trick in that regard.

If the number three does show he's fit, he'll likey be slotted back into the Test side for Boxing Day, as he was in prolific form before his injury. His replacement, Shaun Marsh, capitalised though, and scored 182 in Hobart.

So now Lehmann has to decided who would make way for Khawaja, with opener Joe Burns the most likely candidate, as he has not scored more than 40 in his past three Tests.

Lehmann said: "We will have to see if Uzzy is fit and then we will have a dilemma.

"If he is fit, having scored two hundreds in the two Test matches [against New Zealand] yes, you would think he would be in form to play. We need him playing. With a hamstring, we don't want him playing Test match cricket if he is not fully fit.

"He will have to be sharp in the T20 games and then we will make a decision from there. If he comes back in someone will miss out. We have to work out that is.

"I would [be happy with Khawaja opening] but the captain might not want that. We have to work out the best six and the batting order from there.

"(Shaun Marsh) is probably more comfortable there (at number five) but if we need an opener he could play that role.

"It is probably his preferred position and where he has had the most success, but if you are in the team you will bat anywhere.

"It gets down the make-up of the side and what we go with."