Khawaja questions selection policy

Queensland captain Usman Khawaja has questioned the 'horses-for-courses' selection policy for Australia's batsmen that saw him dumped for Tests in India and Bangladesh this winter.

Khawaja passed fifty in six consecutive Tests during the 2016-17 home summer but was then sidelined for four Tests in India – a scenario that had been forecast the previous August by Pat Howard, Cricket Australia's Executive General Manager of High Performance, following a 0-3 Test series humbling in Sri Lanka.

"We're most certainly going to end up with a horses-for-courses mentality," Howard told AAP at the time.

"When we go to India the form in the subcontinent will be extremely important. That might mean some players play really well during the summer and don't go to India."

Either side of his highly productive Australian summer, Khawaja was axed for Tests in Asia. He was dropped after two Tests in Sri Lanka last August, omitted for the entirety of the Border-Gavaskar series in February and March, then recalled for the first Test in Bangladesh two months ago before being dropped again for the second match.

The left-hander made a combined 57 runs at 9.5 in his past six innings in Asia, and believes the uncertainty around his position in the side on the subcontinent contributed to his below-par returns. 

"(It is) very hard to develop your game and play some consist cricket if you're not getting consistent opportunities overseas, which I haven't been getting," Khawaja told ABC Grandstand. 

"It's frustrating but I've just got to focus on what's in front of me. I'd love to win an Ashes series – I haven't done that yet.

"(The selectors) never used to (change the team based on the country they were playing in) before, I'm not really sure why they do it now. It creates a lot of instability in the team I reckon, going in and out for everyone. "

Between Tests in Bangladesh, former Australia batsman Mike Hussey pointed to the extenuating circumstances for Khawaja at the time, namely his lack of cricket in the immediate build-up due to inclement Dhaka weather, which compounded his general shortage of time at the crease in 2017.

"You shouldn't be judging someone on a couple of innings, and in one of those innings he was run-out," Hussey told cricket.com.au's The Unplayable Podcast.

"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.

"I know there's going to be the doubters out there but (Khawaja is) a quality player," Hussey said. "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."

Khawaja yesterday echoed Hussey's sentiments, suggesting that indecision in the middle for batsmen had stemmed from insecurity over their positions in the side. 

"You hear things like 'the players are playing afraid' or whatnot, but that's what happens when you drop players all the time. 

"We've been doing that a fair bit lately. 

"I know as captain of Queensland I try and avoid that as much as possible; players I pick in the first game, I try to stick with them as long as possible, because they'll always be the best players on the park. 

"For some reason it seems like lately in Australia that the best players always seem to be the next guy in, which I don't totally agree with." 

Khawaja is expected to be recalled for the opening Test of the Magellan Ashes on November 23 at his Queensland home ground, the Gabba, where he has scored 261 runs at 87 in the past two Tests, including a maiden hundred in Baggy Green in 2015. 

The No.3 has been in hot form in the JLT One-Day Cup, registering 339 runs at 67.80 with a century and two fifties from five trips to the middle. 

"I think the Australian team is pretty stable," he added. "I'm confident the selectors already know what their make-up of the team is going to be for the first Test. 

"There might be a few positions up for grabs depending on what happens in the Shield games but I'm pretty confident they know what they're expecting."

Khawaja will lead the Bulls in their Sheffield Shield opener from Thursday week at the Gabba – a day-night clash against defending champions Victoria. 

Queensland are not in contention for JLT Cup finals, and play their final match of the tournament against Tasmania in Hobart on Tuesday.

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21