“They were putting a bit of a partnership together there. It was a bit like a couple of Ashes ago when Nathan Lyon ran out James Vince here at the Gabba, and it changed the momentum that day. That one today was probably a better run out, but don’t tell Nathan that.”
While Inglis’ strike could prove a game-changing moment, it will be how he fares with the bat that could put the final nail in Khawaja’s Test career.
Khawaja’s place on the Australian Test side was thrown into disarray when back spasms prevented him from opening the batting in the first Test.
Could a back injury, and a big day two from Australia’s batsmen in Brisbane, end Usman Khawaja’s Test career?Credit: Getty
Khawaja’s absence caused first Test centurion Travis Head to move to the top of the order as he did in the fourth innings in Perth, alongside Jake Weatherald, and Inglis to come in the middle order.
The trio is known for their aggression and thrive against fast bowling, with Head in particular capable of sending a contest from a battle to a cakewalk in a session.
Inglis is also coming off a ton for Australia A against the England Lions, and at 30 still has time to become a long-term presence.
Loading
Khawaja, conversely, has lacked the same fluidity at the crease as he did upon his 2022 recall, from which he scored 2290 runs at 58.72 in a two-year period before David Warner’s retirement.
As he approaches the age of 39, he has shown susceptibility when up against the fast men.
While Australia’s chief selector George Bailey would not reveal whether a line had been drawn through Khawaja’s name before he had been ruled out, it appears unlikely they would deviate again should Head, Weatherald and Inglis produce some success.
And they may benefit from a day two pitch at its best for batting.
Zak Crawley.Credit: AP
England opener Zak Crawley, who hit a fluent 76, admitted to being frustrated by his dismal.
He said it was less the manner of his exit that caused him angst, but more because he felt at ease with how the pitch had played.
“It definitely got easier as the game went on – I’m not sure if that was to do with the ball or just picking up the rhythm of the pitch, but after about 10 or 15 overs it definitely seemed to do a lot less,” he said.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
