Star On Day 3 of the maiden Test match between Australia and the West Indies at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, opener Usman Khawaja suffered a severe blow as Australia triumphed by 10 wickets. Australia had to win by 26 runs after batting the West Indies out for 120 earlier in the day. Australian openers Steven Smith (11 off 22) and Usman Khawaja (9 off 20) nearly saw their side home after scoring 25 runs in six overs while chasing a modest total.
But in the seventh over, debutant Shamar Joseph gave Khawaja a devastating bouncer that took him on his chin, and Khawaja was only one run from victory. Without any delay, the southpaw removed his helmet and spat some blood while the physiotherapist hurried over to assess him. After the 37-year-old made the decision to retire due to injury, Marnus Labuschagne entered the game and helped Australia win with two runs.
A nasty moment as Usman Khawaja is hit on the chin by a Shamar Joseph short ball #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/nF5nFqxgJJ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 19, 2024
Cricket Australia (CA) provided an update on Khawaja after his injury and revealed that he had successfully completed a preliminary concussion test in the locker room. In addition, scans were performed on him to rule out any structural damage to his jaw, and the results were negative.
During the post-match press conference, Australia captain Pat Cummins provided an update on Khawaja, stating that the batter had a slight sore jaw. “He appears to be alright. There is some soreness in the jaw. Cummins stated, “So yeah, [we’ll] monitor it but he seems okay.”
On Day 3, Australia lacked a concussion stand-in for Usman Khawaja.
As there may be a chance of a delayed concussion, the Australian opener will need to undergo another concussion test on Saturday, January 20 in order to be cleared to play in the second Test in Brisbane starting on January 25. Khawaja’s eligibility for the second Test may be hampered if he is unable to pass the first one and must spend the next five to eight days under a concussion protocol.
As Matt Renshaw left for Queensland on January 18 to participate in the BBL Qualifier for Brisbane Heat versus Sydney Sixers on January 19, Australia was also without a replacement hitter on Day 3.
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