Australia batter Usman Khawaja has backed teammate David Warner to score big in the upcoming WTC final against India and the Ashes 2023.
Australia batter Usman Khawaja reckons fellow opener David Warner is likely to be at his best as he prepares for the gruelling English summer, which includes the World Test Championship final against India and the Ashes.
Warner, 36, had a rough tour of India earlier this year, and while showing attacking intent in amassing 516 runs from 14 IPL matches, he will have his work cut out in the seaming English conditions. However, when on his likely final tour of England, Warner received strong support from Khawaja, who stated that the stalwart was ”looking good” for the difficulties ahead.
“I have seen him (Warner) bat in the last couple of days and, I don’t want to jinx him, but he is looking good,” Khawaja was quoted as saying by ICC.
While Warner was named to Australia’s team for the World T20 final and the first two Ashes Tests, selectors also included Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw as possibilities, but Khawaja feels if Warner is named to the starting XI, he will give it his all.
“This is probably the best I have seen him look in the nets for a while. That doesn’t always correlate to runs, but if we are any chance of Davey Warner scoring runs this could be it. He always plays his best when his back is against the wall too,”
added Khawaja.
Apart from a brilliant double century against South Africa last December, Warner has struggled for runs in recent missions, scoring just 26 runs in three Test innings during the current India tour before going home injured.
He had also had a miserable Ashes campaign, returning with a 9.50 average, the poorest ever by an opener playing in 10 innings, with England fast Broad dominating the 36-year-old.
“We saw when he scored a double century in his 100th game when everyone was writing him off and telling him he was done and it was his last game and he went out and gets 200. You never write off a great player, so I am expecting runs,”
said Khawaja.
By:Saurabh Kumar for indiatoday.in
