Australia’s veteran opener Usman Khawaja has stepped up scrutiny of the Ashes build-up after posting a picture of the golf course on Instagram following a tough first Test in Perth. The 38-year-old opener struggled with back spasms throughout the match and did not take his usual place at the top of the order in even one innings of Australia’s eight-wicket win. He made almost no impact with the bat, while Travis Head’s blistering century as a substitute helped secure a comfortable victory.
Questions about Khawaja’s fitness intensified when it emerged that he had played golf for three consecutive days in the build-up to the Test. This included the day before the match when he skipped an optional practice session to participate in a round associated with the pro-am appearance. When the series began, his back was in such discomfort that he batted for four in the first innings and did not appear at all during the game. fourth innings chase of 205.
The sequence of events surrounding his preparation and subsequent injury has already caused grumbling in the cricketing community. His Instagram post on Monday night turned those mumblings into a heated debate. Khawaja uploaded a series of pictures from the week, including a tranquil shot of a lakeside fairway alongside the caption: “What a week! It’s been everything.”
In the Australian dressing room, the reaction looked funny and relaxed. Pat Cummins responded with a golf swing emoji, David Warner offered a long “Foreeeeee” and former Mariner Trent Copeland added a laughing emoji. To those in the bubble, it felt like familiar banter about Khawaja’s love of golf.
The response outside this circle was much more severe. Former fast bowler Mitchell Johnson criticized both the optics and the judgement, suggesting the preparation was inappropriate for the senior player during the Ashes series.
“Everyone has their own way of preparing, and I’m not against players using golf as a way to switch off,” Johnson wrote in The Nightly. “But you also have to be professional. It doesn’t look great from the outside. You could reasonably argue that the preparation contributed to the back spasms and if that’s the case then it’s not doing your job right for Australia.”
Khawaja was initially listed to play in the Australian PGA pro-am on Wednesday until he fulfills Test commitments. It was later revealed that he had withdrawn from the event immediately after the match in Perth.
The timing of the dispute is particularly awkward as voters consider their options for the second Test. Head has an excellent 123 at the top he has strengthened his credit and the younger openers are starting to apply pressure from below. In that context, Khawaja’s seven-word headline feels less like a throwaway line and more like a moment that could shape the weeks ahead.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
November 25, 2025
