Khawaja has focus firmly on fun times

WHEN Usman Khawaja returned from the 2013 Ashes tour he thought he was done.

Not only had he been dropped from the Australian team midway through a series the tourists lost 3-0, his desire to get back there had evaporated.

“I came back to Queensland and I really didn’t want to play for Australia again,’’ said Khawaja. “I just didn’t enjoy my first nine Test matches.’’

These are strong words. Imagine being 26 years old, allegedly in the prime of your career, and hoping you DON’T get picked for Australia.

But this was not a fun era. Trapped in the shadows of the great Australian teams that preceded them, the Michael Clarke-led team was not a happy unit.

And Khawaja’s batting average of 25 was below everyone’s expectations. He’d had eight scores between 20 and 40, which means he was getting out of the blocks – then faltering.

Khawaja knew one thing. If he chained his self-esteem to his cricket career he would be in trouble. So he set it and himself free.

“I have made a conscious effort not to let cricket dictate my happiness the last five, six or seven years,” he said.

“Since I came back into the Australia team in 2015 I have had a different take on life and cricket. My performances after 2015 are two or three times what they were after my first nine Test matches.

“In those early years even when I was scoring runs I wasn’t always happy so something wasn’t right. It wasn’t an easy time to be part of the Australian team. I just didn’t really feel liked I belonged.’’

Born-again Khawaja was the Test match sensation of 2022 with 888 runs at 98 from seven Tests after being recalled for the first time in three years a wiser, more relaxed man who let the game come to him.