Khawaja's method for Indian success

Usman Khawaja believes a greater exposure to white-ball cricket has been influential in his improved game in recent times, after the top-order batsman made a fine 127 on day one of Australia A's first-class match with India A in Bengaluru.

It was Khawaja's maiden first-class hundred in India, where he is yet to play Test cricket, and despite reverse swing being the greatest challenge for batsmen on the opening day, the runs will go some way towards curbing suggestions the left-hander struggles in Asian conditions.

"I've been here a lot," Khawaja said after play. "I haven't played Tests, but I've played a few tour games, played in the nets, in the IPL.

"It's always rewarding when you do well in different conditions. Once you get in, it's actually a nice wicket. The outfield's lightning.

"But I think as the game gets on, it'll get tougher and tougher. But it's always nice to get runs on the subcontinent because it's never easy."

Khawaja played the sweep shot – and particularly the lap sweep impressively – and used his feet well to the spinners, both forward and back. In Tests in Sri Lanka in 2016, and last year in the first Test in Bangladesh, he had been criticised for looking uncertain and indecisive. In Bengaluru, he was neither of those things.

"They're things I've been working on for three, four years now," Khawaja said of his positive shot-making to the spinners.

"I had a few wickets in England that were quite spin friendly when I was over there for county cricket, and it felt really comfortable over there, just giving myself options to score and having a positive mindset.

"In Australia it's very different – you really don't need to a lot of the time use your feet because it doesn't spin off the straight, unless there's rough. The spinners come into the game later, and if they do, you're normally trying to hit them for six.

"So I've worked pretty hard over the last three or four years for subcontinent conditions, or wickets that are turning.

"I think white-ball cricket has really helped with that, because it allows me to play with freedom, it allows me to play shots in those formats that usually you'd be a bit mindful about playing in four-day cricket, and I think that's just transformed into four-day cricket."

The hard work could well pay off in the form of Khawaja being retained in the Test side for next month's two-match series against Pakistan in the UAE, with four centuries in his past five first-class matches presenting a strong case to selectors.

Australia A take a 202-run lead into day two in Bengaluru, with India A 0-41 after 12 overs.

Australia A Tour of India

Australia A four-day squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Joel Paris, Kurtis Patterson, Matthew Renshaw, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain

Four-day fixtures in Bengaluru

2-5 September v India A

8-11 September v India A