Australia opener among frontrunners to replace injured Pietersen, says Pune coach Stephen Fleming
Khawaja in line to replace KP in IPL
Having gone unsold at the Indian Premier League auction in February, Usman Khawaja could be on a plane to India to replace injured Pune Supergiants batsman Kevin Pietersen.
Pietersen was ruled out of the IPL on Sunday, leaving the subcontinent with a hole in his calf muscle and in Pune's batting order.
Pune have not named a replacement for the Englishman, but Khawaja is the one of the frontrunners, according to Supergiants coach Stephen Fleming.
"He (Khawaja) is a guy we are surely looking at," Fleming said after the two-wicket loss to Kolkata on Sunday.
"There is a shortlist we are working through so looking at availability and Visas and the likes, but he is certainly a guy we are interested in."
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Khawaja would be right at home at the Supergiants, a team which already includes five Australians; Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Adam Zampa, Peter Handscomb and Scott Boland.
Khawaja was in imperious form for the Sydney Thunder in their triumphant KFC Big Bash League season last summer.
Opening the batting, the left-hander posted scores of 109no, 62, 104no and 70 in his four matches to average an incredible 172.5 for the tournament.
His stunning run in all formats of the game forced his selection in Australia's World T20 squad.
Khawaja opened in every match and finished the campaign as Australia's leading run-scorer, averaging 35.75 with a top score of 58.
Despite his golden summer, Khawaja said he "wasn't too fussed" when he missed out an IPL contract.
"Never take it for granted, I've seen some really good players not get picked up," Khawaja said in March.
"We were still playing at the time, so I wasn't trying to think about it too much.
"I'm playing for Australia in all three formats .. I'm representing my country and that's all I can ask for."