Despite twin failures in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield clash with NSW, Usman Khawaja has been backed by Darren Lehmann as the man to replace retiring champion Ricky Ponting.
Ponting will leave some of the biggest shoes to fill in the history of cricket when he walks away after the WACA Test against South Africa, leaving behind a total of 13,366 Test runs.
Lehmann, who played 27 Tests and scored 1798 runs, admitted it was near-impossible to replace Ponting but suggested Khawaja, South Australia’s Phil Hughes, Victorian Rob Quiney and Tasmania’s Alex Doolan had claims.
Khawaja has already played six Tests, scoring 263 runs with an average of 29 and a highest score of 65, the last of which came nearly 12 months ago against New Zealand in Hobart – the site of Australia’s first Test against Sri Lanka next month.
The 25-year-old, the third-highest run-scorer in Shield cricket with 438 runs, had been eager to impress with national selector Andy Bichel watching from the stands.
He could only muster a duck and eight on the traditionally batter-friendly wicket at Manuka Oval with NSW paceman Doug Bollinger trapping him lbw twice.
But Lehmann, the Bulls coach, had no doubt his young charge could step up when needed.
“I think he’s in the best six in the country,” Lehmann said.
“But that’s my personal opinion. I’m not a selector.
“I think if they gave him a chance and let him have a good run at it he’d be fine, but again that’s the selectors’ call.
“… I’m pretty confident in the way he’s playing.
“Obviously he’s missed out here … but he’s in good form.”
Lehmann joined the crowds marvelling at the career and legacy left by Ponting and tipped his former teammate to finish with a century in Perth.
“He’s had a magnificent career and has been a great player, one of our greatest,” Lehmann said.
“So hopefully he goes out with a bang in Perth and gets a hundred.
“… It’s always hard to fill (the shoes of great players). I mean we said the same thing about Steve Waugh didn’t we?
“Someone’s going to have to stand up and help out. It gives the young guys a chance around the traps to stamp their claims.”
