NEWS
Follow UsUsman Khawaja will have a new opening partner in the first Test against India in Perth, in the form of Nathan McSweeney. As a senior partner, Khawaja will have to take up the responsibility of absorbing the pressure early on and getting Australia off to a good start. It will not be easy, as India have plenty of quality bowlers up their sleeves. The main threat is obviously going to be Jasprit Bumrah, but Khawaja believes that the Indian bowling attack is more than just him and he always thinks of how he is going to get runs against him.
"Everyone talks about Jasprit, but they actually have a lot of other good bowlers," Khawaja said on Fox Cricket.
"I think [Mohammed] Siraj is a very good bowler. He's a very good bowler to both right-handers and left-handers. When [Mohammed] Shami was fit, when he was playing those series, he was a very good bowler. He was very underrated. No one really talked about him. And then they got good spinners lining up, too, which really complements their fast bowlers."
"So for me, it's never ... I'm just not thinking about Jasprit Bumrah. You want to ask me where do you think... I'm not thinking about where he is getting me out. I'm thinking about where am I scoring runs against him. And I'm sure all good batsmen would tell you exactly the same thing because if he misses, well, then I'm coming, and then if he bowls good stuff, then I'll respect that. So that's just Test cricket."
Khawaja has never been dismissed by Bumrah, having faced 155 deliveries from India's premier pacer. He believes that it is all about getting used to his unusual action. Once he gets through that phase, the southpaw believes there are runs for the taking, "I mean, when you first face him, it's just his action. It's a different, bizarre kind of action as his release point is very different than other bowlers," Khawaja said.
"It's just a bit further up. So, a lot of guys release the ball from near the popping crease. [Against Bumrah] it feels like he gets a bit further out just with his front braced leg and pushes the ball out.
"So it feels like it comes out and then gets there a lot quicker than you expect it. It's just once you get used to the action, it's fine. I played against him a lot. Not to say that he can't give me out first ball. I mean anyone can. But it's one of those things where once the first time you face him, it's very awkward and then when you get a little bit of rhythm it gets better. But he's still a class bowler."
India and Australia kick-start the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the first Test in Perth on November 22.
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