Khawaja puts off spin dilemmas

Usman Khawaja is putting off the awkward questions raised by his horrid Sri Lanka tour in order to shore up his place in Australian cricket on home soil – starting with the Matador Cup next month.

The dilemma faced by Australia’s Test cricketers, coaches and selectors this summer was summed up by how Khawaja stated he did not wish to dwell on failings against spin in Asia lest it cloud his preparations for a season in which South Africa and Pakistan loom as strong opponents on faster surfaces.

Having lost his Test spot as a result of an unsettling pattern of dismissals to finger spin in Pallekele and Galle, Khawaja must now start the season with runs if he is to resume the No. 3 spot from which he was so prolific last summer. The challenges to be posed by India will have to wait until the new year – if the selectors deem him worthy of the task.

“I will look at that but…I want to concentrate on this summer in Australia ahead,” Khawaja said in Sydney while marking the 10th anniversary of the Basil Sellars scholarship for young cricketers. “There is no point looking at India if I don’t score any runs in the summer here and if we don’t win games against the current opposition we’ve got coming. If that bridge comes or when it comes, I’ll look at it.

“I’ve already sort of assessed Sri Lanka, I’m sure all of us have. We have as a group. But us moving forward we need to win at home first. We’re playing against two quality attacks. …

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