Khawaja looks like a Test cricketer: Border
By ANITuesday, January 4, 2011
SYDNEY - Australia debutant Usman Khawaja ‘looks like a Test cricketer’ according to former captain Allan Border.
An impressed Border predicted that Khawaja had the potential of having a bright future in the baggy green after an assured performance on debut in the Sydney cricket Test against England. Khwaja made 37, the third highest score of the Australian innings, Fox Sports reports.
The 24-year-old arrived at the crease on his home ground surrounded by great expectation as the replacement for Ricky Ponting.
Although he was dismissed for 37 just before rain brought a premature end to day one at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Border told Fox Sports: “Khawaja looks like he’s a Test cricketer. He was absolutely fantastic; very impressive performance and absolute tragedy that he gets out one ball before the heavens open.”
He added: “Apart from that one indiscretion he was absolutely outstanding.”
Khawaja looked poised and assured from the moment he smashed six runs from his first two balls, prompting Border to re-iterate his belief that Khawaja should bat at three, with Ponting down the order.
“He’s been picked because he’s got those qualities; very steady at the crease, plays nice and straight, keeps things very simple, good head on his shoulders - all the things Ricky Ponting once had and is probably just there somewhere lurking underneath some poor form,” said Border. (ANI)
