Hussey calls for patience in dealing with struggling Khawaja

Hussey calls for patience in dealing with struggling Khawaja

Former Australia batsman Michael Hussey has thrown his weight behind the struggling Usman Khawaja, calling for patience while dealing with the current No. 3. Khawaja scored one run each in both innings in the Dhaka Test, adding to his poor showing in Asia where he averages a paltry 14.62. Hussey, however, reckoned Khawaja ought to be afforded some time in his Test comeback to settle in and 'get up to speed'.

Khawaja's last Test before the Dhaka game came in January this year, after which Shaun Marsh was preferred ahead of him for the four Tests in India.

Khawaja's chance of getting acclimatised to local conditions in Bangladesh before the series were also thwarted by inclement weather that left the Fatullah ground in an unplayable state.

"You shouldn't be judging someone on a couple of innings, and in one of those innings he [Khawaja] was run-out. He hasn't played any cricket for so long, so it's going to take time for him to get back in and get up to speed with that match hardness. Even in the IPL he just sat on the bench the whole time, so it's difficult and it's going to take a little bit of time," Hussey told cricket.com.au.

Hussey felt a quality player like Khawaja needed backing and a long rope for him to play to his full potential. Hussey went on to state the example of Nathan Lyon, saying that the board has had the spinner's back, despite the presence of doubters all along his career. A similar treatment of Khawaja, Hussey felt, could work well for Australia.

"I know there's going to be doubters out there but (Khawaja is) a quality player. He's class, and if you show the faith, show that you believe in him, you'll get the best out of him. If you start chopping and changing, and sending those messages that you're not backing him, then you're going to get these inconsistent performances.

"And it's shown with someone like Nathan Lyon - he throughout his career has had a lot of doubters, but the selectors have shown faith in him over a period of time and believed in him, and look at him now; he's repaid that in spades. I think Usman Khawaja is in the same boat: we know he's a good player, we know he's got class, (so) just show that belief and faith in him and he will repay it in spades, I promise you," Hussey said.

In conditions where most Australian batsmen have struggled, Khawaja has another opportunity to impress the selectors and nail down his top-order spot when the teams take on each other in the second Test in Chittagong, starting from Monday (September 4).