I’m not here to fill Ponting’s shoes, says Usman Khawaja

SYDNEY - New South Wales batsman Usman Khawaja, who has been included in Australia’s 12-man squad for the fifth Ashes Test, has steered clear of suggestions that he may replace injured captain Ricky Ponting permanently.

Khawaja will be Ponting’s replacement in the match, starting in Sydney on Sunday.

Ponting has been ruled out of the match after x-rays on his broken finger showed that the fracture had moved during this week’s fourth Test loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“Ricky is a legend of a cricketer, a legend of a bloke. Me taking over Ricky’s spot - I highly doubt that. I’m just happy to take the opportunity, unfortunately for while he is injured, and hopefully we can get out there and level the series,” The Age quoted Khawaja, as saying.

“I’m not here to fill Ponting’s shoes, I’m here to try and go out there and do the best I can, obviously put my team in the best position I can which is for me to score runs.”

“Other than that all I can really do is enjoy my cricket, because to replace 12,000 [Test] runs, that’s a big feat, and I still haven’t scored any so I’ve got to go out there and score my first one,” he added.

Earlier, chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch had said that Khawaja’s debut was “something we are excited about given his tremendous form at domestic level over the past two seasons”.

Australia currently trails the five-match series 2-1. (ANI)