Khawaja fights to take on India

Sydney – Usman Khawaja’s comeback from surgery on his knee is ahead of schedule with the opener yesterday confident of being ready for the first Test against India next month.

The experienced left-hander, who hit a fighting hundred to help Australia scramble to a draw in the first Test against Pakistan last month, has been out of action since the second Test of that series.

His stability at the top of the order – which is already without the banned Steve Smith and David Warner – has been sorely missed after a string of recent Australian batting capitulations. –