Why Khawaja is the key to Australia regaining Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Veteran cricket reporter Robert ‘Crash’ Craddock believes Usman Khawaja is the key to Australia defeating India in the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

Australia last held the trophy in 2014/15 before India completed remarkable series wins away from home in 2018/19 and 2020/21.

Craddock believes that the void left by David Warner and the addition of debutant Nathan McSweeney means Khawaja will have to step up across the five Test matches.

“Every Australian batsman has gone backwards,” Craddock told SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“There is currently not one player who is improving. They are an older team and they are all over 30 bar Nathan McSweeney. Their stats are also regressing.

“I have a feeling that Khawaja has to come off for Australia. He’s 38 in December and we will see a new Australia with an attritional game plan.

“With five Tests in seven weeks against a bowling attack that only has one pace star in Jasprit Bumrah, they will try to wear India down.

“Bumrah will captain the team in Perth and if Australia can keep him to manageable levels, they’ll win the series.

“If Australia are 0/22 after an hour, that’s a pass mark.

“If Khawaja averages 40-plus in the series, Australia wins.”

Khawaja will open alongside debutant Nathan McSweeney who will open the batting despite batting first or second drop for South Australia in domestic cricket.

Craddock believes McSweeney’s goal shouldn’t be to score runs across the series but rather occupy the crease and tire the Indian bowlers to allow others to reap the rewards.

“This is going to be an unconventional pass mark but (McSweeney) needs to bat for at least an hour in each innings,” Craddock added.

“Maybe around 22-23 runs but if he bats for an hour, that means Bumrah is out of the attack.

“It’s a low pass mark but for a young kid who has never opened (it would be terrific).

“He’s a good young kid and he’ll be overwhelmed but he knows where his off-stump is.

“Play attritional cricket early and then open it up for the stormtroopers like Travis Head and Mitch Marsh to come out around tea time.”

The First Test between Australia and India begins on Friday at Optus Stadium in Perth.