Last Update: February 18, 2023, 07:47 IST
Usman Khawaja of Australia vs India (AP)
Usman Khawaja scored 81 in Australia’s first innings in the second Test against India
Usman Khawaja made amends for a horrendous first Test match in Nagpur with a charming knock of 81 off 125 balls on the opening day of the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell praised Khawaja for being proactive, saying the opener was scared India Few on the first day.
Chappell told Cricinfo that the 36-year-old left-handed opener used the reverse sweep to good effect.
“You can’t really bring Nagpur into Khawaja as he got out cheap and early in both the innings. But I thought he was very active and used the reverse sweep to make an impact. I think he scared the Indians a bit,” Chappell told Cricinfo.
Chappell felt that Rohit Sharma and India were unprepared for Khawaja’s approach and were reactive with their fields accordingly.
He said, ‘It is difficult to tell as a captain who captained well before the bat became big. But I still feel that instead of reacting to some shots, you have to have fielders to take catches. I thought there were times when India reacted to shots, sweep shots and laid the ground for them rather than putting people in catching positions. I don’t think there are freaks who can reverse sweep well but not many. And I think if you put fielders in the catching position, sooner or later, someone who will reverse sweep, if you give the ball a bit of bounce, it catches the top edge and there the ball goes. But to his credit, Khawaja pushed back down the field and was able to take advantage,” Chappell said.
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In the presentation after the day’s play, Khawaja said that he faced a total of seven balls in two innings in Nagpur and therefore did nothing different in Delhi.
“I didn’t get a chance to play the first game. I faced only seven balls for the game. So there was no real difference in plans. I just play by feel. I play according to what I feel is going to happen on the wicket. I don’t go there thinking I want to play a certain way.”
He said, ‘I just feel how the bowlers are trying to bowl to me and then I read the game from there. So it’s as simple as that. No difference is there. And that’s almost what I did today,” Khawaja said.
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