Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke both believe it’ll be Usman Khawaja who makes way for Steve Smith for the fourth Ashes Test, with both former captains predicting Josh Inglis will remain. Smith missed the third Test due to vertigo issues, which gave Khawaja a reprieve after he was originally left out.
Khawaja made the most of his opportunity with 82 and 40 in Adelaide, while Inglis only made 32 and 10 after 23 in the second Test. Inglis is now averaging just 26.28 in five career Tests, which includes a century on debut against Sri Lanka earlier this year.
Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke are in agreeance on who should make way for Steve Smith. Image: Getty
But despite Khawaja scoring 122 runs in Adelaide, Ponting and Clarke both believe he’ll be the man to miss out when Smith returns for the Boxing Day Test. “I think we will keep (Inglis) in,” Ponting said on Channel 7 on Sunday. “Let’s remember, Usman only got back in because of what happened with Smith. Usman potentially wouldn’t have played for the rest of the series.
“The Aussies love what Inglis brings. They love his intent to score in the middle order there. He’s been brilliant in the field. That’s one thing he has brought to this group. I think they will stick with Inglis. That’s nothing against Khawaja or the way he played. He did play well.”
Khawaja is averaging 41.33 in the series, which is the fourth-highest of Australia’s specialist batters. Alex Carey (66.75), Travis Head (63.16) and Smith (51.50) are the only batters with a better average, although bowler Mitchell Starc is averaging 50 with the bat as well. Inglis is averaging 21.66 in his two Tests played.
Josh Inglis (L) and Usman Khawaja (R) are fighting for the same spot. (Photo by Sarah Reed – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Michael Clarke agrees Usman Khawaja will be dropped
On Tuesday, Clarke expressed similar sentiments to Ponting that selectors already played their hand when they left Khawaja out in Adelaide rather than Inglis. “I think because of what happened in the lead up to this Adelaide Test, selectors made the big call with Usman Khawaja to drop him,” Clarke told News Corp. “He was fully fit for selection and available for selection – he was dropped.
“He played really well, made a great 80, but I think Smithy comes back into No.4 and Khawaja will miss out on the Boxing Day Test match. So he doesn’t get the fairytale of Boxing Day and New Year’s (Test in Sydney). There’s still been no talk of retirement though, I just think it’s where the situation is at the moment. If he’s not opening the batting, I think he’s not in our starting XI.”
However fellow Aussie legend Mark Waugh believes it’ll be Inglis who makes way. In a poll of over 8000 Yahoo readers, about 50 per cent believe Inglis should be dropped. Over 30 per cent think it should be Cameron Green amid the all-rounder’s lean run of form, while only 15 per cent have voted for Khawaja.