Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has defended Usman Khawaja, stating that it is drawing a long bow to suggest his decision to play golf before the Test match contributed to the back spasms he suffered
on the opening day in Perth. The 38-year-old batter came under scrutiny after back spasms forced him from the field late in England’s brief first innings on Friday, November 21.
His absence came at an unfortunate time, as England collapsed while Khawaja was off the field attempting to stretch out the spasm. Stand-in captain Steven Smith even called for Khawaja to return. Although the left-handed opener did eventually come back for the end of the innings, ICC regulations required him to remain off the field for a period equal to the time he spent off, rendering him ineligible to open the batting.
As a result, Marnus Labuschagne was pushed up to open, with Smith moving to No. 3. Khawaja eventually batted at No. 4 but was dismissed for just two runs. On day two, he fielded for all 15 overs Australia bowled before lunch and appeared untroubled. Cricket Australia confirmed it was a new injury and not something he had experienced earlier in the week.
Khawaja had played golf on both Tuesday and Wednesday around Australia’s training sessions. He also skipped Thursday’s optional training session, attended by only four members of the final line-up, to play golf alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. A number of Australia’s coaching staff also played later in the afternoon after the training session. Greenberg, himself an avid golfer, dismissed any suggestion that Khawaja’s golf activity contributed to the issue, reiterating that there was no correlation between the two.
"[Golf] has held him in good stead over the last couple of years. It's not uncommon for a lot of them to play golf a day prior. Did that correlate to any of the issues? I personally don't think so. Usman's a very seasoned campaigner, he knows his body well, and he knows how to get himself prepared for cricket. So I think that is drawing a long bow," Greenberg was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
"A lot of people talk about cricket being played between the ears. So getting some time away from being in your hotel or at training I think is really important. I noticed Mitch Starc played golf with him, so it certainly didn't impact his performance,” he added.
Golf is an integral part of Australia’s team culture, much like it is for their opponents England. Both sides regularly play in the lead-up to Test matches, whether at home or overseas. Earlier this year, the entire Australian squad even embarked on a bonding trip to northern Scotland, where they spent a week playing golf before the World Test Championship final, which they ultimately lost to South Africa.
Cricket Australia’s medical and strength and conditioning staff have long approved golf as a suitable activity for players, particularly fast bowlers, viewing it as a low-impact way to stay on their feet while also offering valuable mental relief from the demands of cricket training and competition.
