Khawaja confirms full fitness before Adelaide Test

• Khawaja declares himself "100% fit" after back spasms, aiming for Ashes Test 3 return.
• Head's strong opening performance complicates Khawaja's automatic recall to the team.
• Khawaja cites heavy training load, readiness, but team management will decide final XI.

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has provided a major fitness update to the hosts ahead of the third Test of the Ashes 2025-26 series in Adelaide, declaring

himself 100 percent fit after recovering from back spasms. With Australia and England preparing for another encounter, Khawaja’s availability has triggered discussions over Australia’s opening combination just days before the pink-ball Test begins.

The southpaw was forced to miss the second Test in Brisbane after suffering back spasms during the opening Test in Perth. The injury led Australia to reshuffle their batting order, with Travis Head promoted to open alongside Jake Weatherald. The move paid immediate returns, as Head produced solid performances at the top, including a century in Perth, while the pair added important opening stands in both Tests.

Despite his absence, Khawaja retained his place in Australia’s squad for the Adelaide Test. Now, having completed an intensive rehabilitation programme, the 38-year-old insists he is physically ready to return. Speaking to reporters in Adelaide, Khawaja admitted that while he hopes to play but the final decision rests with the team management. 

"Obviously hope to play. I don't really know. Obviously, it's not my decision. The older I've got, the more comfortable I've got with things that I can control and things that I haven't. I feel really good in terms of I'm ready to go. The rest of it is not in my control. So, yeah, we'll see what happens. I'm feeling 100%. So unless something else [happens], but I felt 100% before Perth, too. It's just one of those things. I've done everything. That's why I was training all last week. I was just doing rehab, which sucks because when you get injured, you have to do more, right," he told reporters.

I've had a fair bit of load: Usman Khawaja

Khawaja confirmed he has had a heavy training load in recent days, undergoing multiple gym sessions, running drills, and extended net practices before, during, and after the Gabba Test. 

"I've had a fair bit of load, but it's obviously what I wanted to just get as much as possible and I'm running at 100% again and again. So everything's feeling pretty good again," he added.

The experienced batter also backed his form, pointing to his recent Sheffield Shield performances, where he has shown the ability to score at different rates. He stressed that he still has gears to adjust based on match situations and conditions.

"I've got gears when I want them. You've got to find a way to be consistent for a long period of time, not just over a game or two. So I've always been conscious of that. I can go out there and play more shots and I think I've been scoring pretty [quickly]. So sometimes the game and the situation dictates that [and] the wickets dictate that. I think I just play the game, what's in front of me," he concluded.