Junior Waugh feels sorry for Khawaja; hopes the move to retain Ponting works
Junior Waugh feels sorry for Khawaja; hopes the move to retain Ponting works |
| Usman Khawaja. Pic/Getty Images |
With Ricky Ponting feeling the heat for non-performance, former Australian batsman Mark Waugh hoped that the decision to pick the legendary batsman, ahead of talented Usman Khawaja, works.
Waugh said Khawaja, who scored 7 and 23 against New Zealand in the last Test, was unlucky to have been dumped like this. "I actually feel a bit sorry for Khawaja because he's actually looked pretty good, apart from last Test," Waugh told Fox Sports.
The former Australian batsman felt that Khawaja looked a very capable player and a future prospect for Australia. "Every other innings before that (the last one against New Zealand) he's looked like a very good player.
Having said that he just hasn't made the scores as yet. He didn't really take the opportunity by the scruff of the neck. He's got a great future, there's no doubt about that. He'll be back bigger and better pretty shortly," Waugh said.
According to the Junior Waugh, the selectors' decision to retain Ponting and Mike Hussey may be because of their vast experience. "They (Ponting and Hussey) are both great players, but they need runs in the next couple of Tests, because by their own high standards they've been well short of the mark.
They've got the experience and quality, they just need to transfer that into runs otherwise they'll be looking over their shoulders," he stated.
Waugh, however, backed the selectors' move to go with experience. "It's a pretty big series against India and I think the selectors have gone with experience and hopefully it'll pay off," he added.
