Having done some physio and gentle fielding on Sunday, Khawaja was put through his paces by Australia’s medical staff on the outfield, including running and stretching, before batting for 30 minutes during the team’s day-time session on Monday.
Speaking last week at an event for his foundation, Khawaja said he “should be right” for his hometown Test and was not requiring further painkillers after initially suffering the back spasms on the opening day at Perth Stadium.
On the second day Khawaja took his place at first slip, taking a catch to remove Harry Brook and then spilling a low edge offered by Jamie Smith. His back went into spasm while leaping for another edge provided by Smith, opening the way for Travis Head to make his 123 in Australia’s chase.
Khawaja’s form was under scrutiny heading into the series – he is now averaging 31.84 since the end of the 2023 Ashes with one century in 45 innings – and coupled with the way Head threw down the gauntlet as an opener, and his public statements about being keen for the role, it has sparked a debate about whether now is the time to draw an end to Khawaja’s Test career.
“He’s an amazing player. The way he’s gone about his game, the way he’s gone from a No. 3, 4 and then opened the batting…navigated some tricky scenarios, he’s just been awesome.
“But I’m not a selector. I think whatever happens is up to the people above my pay grade and what they deem is the best way for us to win the game and win this series. I think it’s just game by game and you work out what’s your best team.”
Khawaja has never publicly outlined what his ideal finishing point would be, but the final Ashes Test at the SCG, the ground where he returned with his twin hundreds in the 2020-21 series, has often been thought of as the perfect stepping off point. However, Labuschagne said that what the team needed should be the over-riding factor.
“I think the most important thing is the team comes first at any stage,” he said. “I know there’s different times where different people may have done that [picked a finishing point] in the past. But taking nothing away, he’s an amazing player…averaging 45 for Australia all around the world… [But] it’s just what is the best way we win the game and what does that look like, and that’s what’s most important.”
Carse played a straight bat when asked who England would prefer to see at the top of the order. “I don’t have to make that decision, so that’s up to the captain and the coach of the Australian side, but whatever we’re presented with we’ll stick to our plans,” he said.
“That was a phenomenal knock played by a high-quality player [Head], and if he does open the batting again we’ve got set plans that we’ll look to use, but I don’t think anything changes from a mindset thing. He had an incredible day that afternoon.”
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
