"I thought his time was nearly done" - Jason Gillespie admits to writing off Usman Khawaja

Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has admitted that he felt Usman Khawaja’s time was up a couple of years ago and that he did not think the left-hander could make a comeback into the Australian Test squad.

Recalling the time when he was coaching South Australia, he stated that he observed Khawaja, who was playing for Queensland, and concluded that the batter was a bit slow and was battling.

Since his return to the Test team in January 2022, Khawaja has displayed terrific form. On Friday, June 17 at Edgbaston, on Day 2 of the opening Ashes 2023 Test, he compiled a magnificent hundred, returning unbeaten on 126 off 279 balls.

Khawaja’s resilient innings saw Australia recover from 67/3 to end the day on 311/5, responding to England’s first-innings total of 393/8 declared. In a column for the Daily Mail, Gillespie praised the 36-year-old for proving him wrong. He wrote:

“A couple of years ago, I saw Usman Khawaja play for Queensland in a Sheffield Shield game when I was coaching South Australia. I remember saying: ‘I think he’s past it. I don’t think there’s much left.’

“I felt he was a bit slow and he was battling. I thought his time was nearly done. Well, he has certainly proved me wrong and I am delighted to admit it. You love it when players show they still have more to give,” he added.

The former Aussie pacer praised the left-handed batter for grabbing the opportunity that came his way in January 2022 after Travis Head was ruled out of the fourth Ashes Test with COVID. Gillespie elaborated:

“It all goes back to that sliding doors moment in January 2022, when Travis Head caught Covid before the fourth Ashes Test and Usman got the opportunity and scored a hundred in each innings. He wasn’t expecting that chance and is now playing every game as if it’s his last, with a real clear mind.”

Comparing Khawaja with former Aussie batter Justin Langer, the 48-year-old recalled:

“It reminds me of the time Justin Langer replaced Michael Slater for the final Test of the Ashes in 2001. He thought he was in the last-chance saloon and so he had that attitude of, ‘I’m just going to make the most of this. I’m going to enjoy the battle, enjoy the challenge, just play and have fun.’

“Justin went on to have one of the great careers with that attitude and mindset. And I see a lot of similarities between the situation Justin was in and where Usman finds himself now,” he added.

Khawaja scored 137 and 101* in his comeback Test in Sydney last year and hasn’t looked back since.

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“What I love about Usman is his resilience” - Gillespie reflects on Khawaja’s Edgbaston ton

Sharing his thoughts on Khawaja’s hundred in the ongoing Edgbaston Test, Gillespie opined that the ‘outstanding’ knock was another illustration of his resilience. He wrote:

“What I love about Usman is his resilience, which he showed once again at Edgbaston on Saturday. It was an outstanding knock against some very good bowling. His strike-rate was well below England’s batsmen but he just played his own game.

“His job is just to bat. He has got a very simple game. He left really well and jumped on anything short with great pull shots. I also loved his intent against Moeen Ali. He really took him on down the ground,” Gillespie added.

Meanwhile, Australia will go into Day 3 of the Edgbaston Test trailing England by 82 runs in the first innings.