LIVE: Khawaja ‘resigned’ to being dropped again

Despite notching twin centuries to put Australia in a commanding position in the Sydney Test, Usman Khawaja says he’s “resigned” to not playing the fifth and final Test match in Hobart.

After coming into the side to replace Travis Head, who came out due to testing positive for COVID-19, the 35-year-old Khawaja has reminded fans just how valuable he can be in his first Test match since 2019.

Arguably Australia’s best batter this Test match, Khawaja’s scores of 137 and 101 not out have put him in elite company.

With twin tons in the fourth Test, he joins Doug Walters (1969) and Ricky Ponting (2006) as the only men to have achieved the feat at the SCG.

“At the moment I’m quite resigned [to not playing the last Test],” Khawaja said after yesterday’s play.

“I came in for Heady and he’s had a great series. I know the selectors have made a lot of tough decisions this series but I don’t really expect it to be too different even though I’ve scored back to back tons.”

“The hunger is still there and, not that I have to, but I’ve shown that I can still score runs at this level if an opportunity does present itself in the future.

“The fact is that I probably will miss out (in Hobart) just talking to George Bailey. The selection is about continued continuity.

“I’m not totally against that process. I felt like throughout my career a lot of changes were made. And I was on the wrong side of them from my point of view a few times, and I’m the first to say that I think there needs to be structured stability.

“I know how hard it is for a cricketer chopping and changing on your confidence.”