Khawaja return could spell end for Head-Weatherald combo

The opening combination Australia accidentally struck gold with, pairing Travis Head with Jake Weatherald, may be over already with Usman Khawaja pushing for a recall in the third NRMA Insurance Test in Adelaide.

Coach Andrew McDonald expects Khawaja to be "fit and available" for his side's tilt at claiming the Ashes urn next week after a back injury sidelined the 38-year-old from the second Test and most of the first too.

The left-hander's bid to return from back spasms in Brisbane was aborted two days out from the day-night contest. He was still in discomfort while he batted in the nets at that point, but McDonald said he has since stepped up his intensity in practice and will be named in a 15-man squad for Adelaide.  

Khawaja's most likely landing spot if he returned would be in the opening position, relegating Head back to No.5, though McDonald insisted that is not the only place he could bat.

Josh Inglis is the likely fall guy if Khawaja is recalled.  

"We've got a lot of players that are really invested in this series, and they'll do anything for the team," said McDonald.

"And the assumption is that 'Uzzie' can only open as well – I think that he does have the flexibility (to bat elsewhere). We like to think that all our batters have the flexibility to be able to perform anywhere in that order.

"We've got a collective group of batters there that, as the series wears on, the opposition may create some different challenges for us. So we're open to what it would look like for us moving forward."

Khawaja batted at five in his return to the Test arena during the 2021-22 Ashes and then went up to open to accommodate Head.

McDonald said they had not previously considered putting Khawaja back down the order since.

"We've been looking for a partner for him. He's been a stable piece up there, so we haven't discussed moving him previously," he said,

"But we're open to what the batting model would look like moving forward should there be any moving parts. Whether Trav opens, whether he goes back to the middle, that will all play out. We're taking it Test by Test."

In Perth, Khawaja was unable to open the batting in Australia's first innings after spending too much time off the field while England batted due to his back complaint. Marnus Labuschagne filled in at first, before Head seized the opportunity on day two and pulled off an all-time match-winning Ashes century.

The Head-Weatherald union was then kept together in Brisbane. Head has long campaigned for a promotion up the order, and Australia's view that pink-ball games present completely different conditions to red-ball Tests meant selectors saw merit in a strategy they had only previously pulled the trigger on in the subcontinent.

The left-handed duo are now averaging 63 from their three stands together, and have stunned England with how quickly they have scored. After putting on 75 in just 69 balls in Perth, they kept up the pace in Brisbane with partnerships of 77 off 79 and 37 off 35.

The sight of the former South Australia teammates taking on the new ball would delight Adelaide Oval, but the return of Test cricket to daylight hours will change the selection equation.

"It worked at this point in time. Pink-ball Test at the Gabba, we felt like that combination was right for those conditions and the opposition," said McDonald.

"We'll always ask ourselves questions at the selection table, at our strategy meetings, what the best line-up is for that point in time.

"Each Test presents a new challenge. We've got the red ball in Adelaide – we haven't done that too often recently.

"It's great that Trav has put his hand up to do that in the past. We haven't gone down that path a whole lot. We have in this instance, so will we continue to do that? We'll have to wait and see."

McDonald also revealed the decision to bat Inglis at No.7, and not the No.5 spot he scored a century from against Sri Lanka earlier this year, was based on their preference to have Alex Carey batting right behind Cameron Green.

"There's something just about Cameron Green and Alex Carey when they bat together. They tend to have a good combination, a good flow," McDonald said while also heaping praise on Carey's glovework at the Gabba.

"We wanted 'Kez' to be right behind him (Green) and keep that combination together, and that meant Josh batted seven.

"It's not a reflection on Josh. We see him as an incredibly important batter moving forward, and we have been on the record around the batting position sometimes can be slightly overrated.

"We really valued the combination and the connection that Green and Carey have."

Mitch Marsh meanwhile still remains in contention to feature in this Ashes campaign despite announcing his retirement from Sheffield Shield cricket this week.

Marsh has been flagged as a possible top-order option to take on England's high-pace attack but he called it quits from the domestic first-class arena after making 9 and 4 for Western Australia against Victoria from No.3 while playing his first red-ball game in 12 months.

McDonald said it was "exciting" that Marsh remains in the frame for the next three Tests, but expects the T20 captain, who would not have been available for WA after the KFC BBL anyway given the upcoming World Cup and ensuing IPL season, will put his Baggy Green away for good beyond that.

"I don't want to put words in Mitch's mouth, but I assume that if he's retired from first-class cricket, he would potentially look at Test cricket retirement also at the end of the season. I can't speak for him, but that would be my assumption," he said.

2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT

Australia squad (second Test): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood