David Warner left a heartwarming message over social media for his “childhood brother” Usman Khawaja as the Australian left-hander made a resounding comeback to the country’s Test playing XI via the New Year’s Ashes Test at SCG.
Warner said he couldn’t be “prouder” of what Khawaja has managed to achieve after spending such a long time out of the Test arena.
Khawaja, who was dropped from Australia’s Test squad following a disappointing tour of England back in 2019, was brought back to an elongated contingent for the home Ashes summer 2021-22. The left-hander, however, still had to wait for his chance as Travis Head made the No.5 spot his own.
Head scored a fantastic hundred in the opening Test at Gabba and looked like playing the entire five-match series before he got tested positive for Covid-19 in Melbourne and couldn’t travel with the rest of the side for Sydney.
This is where Khawaja got back into consideration and made his opportunity count with two brilliant hundreds against arch-rivals England. The ever-classy Queensland left-hander top-scored in the first-innings with a 137 in Australia’s 416/8 dec and backed it up with a 101 not out as the hosts turned their lead into a mammoth 388-run target.
The game ended in an exciting draw, but for Khawaja, the individual memories from it and the satisfaction of having proven that he can score runs again at the Test level would’ve far exceeded anything else that took place.
At some stage, whilst he was sidelined, the 35-year-old would have wondered whether he will ever get to play Test cricket again. But once the moment and the opportunity finally arrived, Khawaja grabbed it with both hands and made the Test match his own.
Warner can best understand what his “childhood friend” must have gone through and would be feeling as he reached his century in both innings. He left a strongly felt message, saying he couldn’t be more proud of what Khawaja has managed to achieve on Test comeback, recalling memories of growing up together and playing cricket in the backyard.
“Grew up playing the game we love together and against, but now back in the same team living our dreams together as father’s. This is what dreams are made of, sharing it with your family and closest friends.
Warner posted on Instagram below a picture where he and Khawaja are seen with their kids.
When Khawaja had made it past the hundred mark in the first innings and announced his return with a bang, Warner had left for him another heartwarming Instagram post, calling his knock an exhibition of “class”.
Khawaja would be the first one to admit that he hasn’t always done justice to his undoubted class and ability. The left-hander averages 43.40 after 45 Tests with 10 centuries but has never really managed to cement his spot in the line-up.
Warner would love his friend to ensure what happened at the SCG is not an aberration and is instead the beginning of a new peak in his career that sees him dominate attacks and own one of the middle-order spots.
For now, though, Khawaja’s fantastic hundreds have left the selectors a happy headache whether to retain him in the side or bring back another in-form player Head in the line-up for the fifth and final Ashes Test in Hobart, starting January 14.
