Australia opener Usman Khawaja continues to be on the course to play the second Test against West Indies from January 25 after suffering a blow to head in the first Test. Khawaja was hit by a bouncer by West Indies quick Shamar Joseph with Australia one run away from the win. The batter had retired hurt after that and went through initial concussion test which he passed.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

“He completed normal concussion assessments today [Sunday],” said a spokesperson for Cricket Australia. “Khawaja will continue to be monitored for any delayed symptoms. He will be reviewed again tomorrow prior to returning to training,” he added.

ALSO READ | Iftikhar Ahmed helps Pakistan get consolation win in 4-1 T20I series loss against New Zealand

Matt Renshaw is the spare batter available in the Australia squad as a back up who might be roped in if  Khawaja doesn’t make it to the playing XI for the Brisbane Test.

Aussie pacers eye rare milestone

Australia skipper and pacer Pat Cummins is hopeful of himself and his fellow bowlers Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood of playing the second home Test against West Indies starting January 25 in Brisbane. If the bowlers make it to playing XI, it would be their fifth Test on the trot – a rare feat Cummins is hopeful of achieving. Notably, all the four bowlers are in their 30s with Cummins being the youngest one at 30 and Lyon being the oldest at 36.

“It’s trending that way,” Cummins said in the post-match presentation after the 10-wicket win against West Indies in the first Test of the two-match series about all four of them playing in the Brisbane Test. Before the ongoing series, the bowlers had taken part in the home Test series against Pakistan and played all three Tests.

It would be the first since 2013/14 Ashes Test series against England that Australia will play with same set of four bowlers in five Tests. During the aforementioned Ashes, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon had played five back-to-back Tests.

You can now write for Baazigarnews.com and be a part of the Baazigar family. Share your stories and opinions with us here.