Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has launched a scathing attack on the pitch at Perth Stadium, used for the first Ashes Test, branding it as substandard. This criticism comes despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) awarding the surface its highest possible rating of 'very good'.
A Tough Outing for the Batsman
Khawaja, who was dealing with back spasms, batted out of his usual position. He came in at number 4 instead of opening. His time at the crease was brief and unfruitful. The 38-year-old managed to score only two runs before being caught by England's wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off the bowling of Brydon Carse.
This poor performance, combined with Travis Head's impressive century as an opener in the second innings, has cast doubt on Khawaja's position in the team for the upcoming second Test in Brisbane. However, he has been named in an unchanged 14-man squad for the match.
Khawaja's Blunt Assessment of the Pitch
Disregarding the ICC's rating, Khawaja did not hold back in his evaluation of the playing conditions. He pointed to the high number of wickets that fell on the first day as evidence of an unfair contest between bat and ball.
'Nineteen wickets on the first day, about 20 people got hit – that's a great wicket, that seems real fair?' Khawaja remarked, also drawing a parallel to a similar situation last year against India when 17 wickets fell on the opening day.
He used the struggles of his teammate, Steve Smith, to further illustrate his point. 'Steve Smith is by far the best cricketer I've played with. He's missing the middle of his bat by a long way, and he does not miss the middle of the bat,' Khawaja explained, highlighting the unpredictable bounce. 'You can't really predict up and down [bounce]. Your hands can't catch up.'
The Pitch's Behaviour Over Time
Khawaja provided a detailed breakdown of how the Perth pitch evolved during the match. He was unequivocal in his assessment of the first-day conditions, calling it a 'piece of s-'.
He acknowledged that the surface tends to improve, stating, 'They do get better day two, day three.' However, he noted that the problems return by day four as the pitch begins to crack up again. This pattern, according to Khawaja, is precisely why teams winning the toss at Perth almost always choose to bat first, aiming to capitalize on the best batting conditions towards the end of day two and into day three.
Meanwhile, the Australian team continues to manage injuries, with key bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood still sidelined.
