As much as any side needs a hard edge, a combatative spirit to be competitive, it also needs humility. Uzzie contributed well with bat, particular as an opener where his stats compare with the best Australia has had but it was his resilience coupled so strongly with his humility and integrity that was a vital part of this successful Australian team.
The narrative around Khawaja has always been hard to match with his stats, yet until the WTC Final against South Africa mid 2025, he had the third highest batting average of all openers who played in that role for the Australian Test team.
Only Ponsford and Simpson had a better average.
Such is the quality at the top end of that list, it took only five Tests (1xSouth Africa, 3xWest Indies, 1xEngland) for him to slip to 6th. Averaging 48 and opening 80 times during a period of Australian dominance at the Test game, has been a consistency which has been almost completely overlooked amongst Smith’s eccentric brilliance and Head’s audacious stroke play. Simpson and Ponsford are now joined by Woodfull, Hayden, Katich and Langer ahead of him but consider those who lay in his wake:
Lawry
Morris
Warner
Boon
and these are only those averaging above 45.
Many bemoan the lack of a successor to Warner, his club mate since junior days, but his dash and dominance which betrayed all new ball bowlers except Stuart Broad, was the yin to Khawaja’s yang.
Denied the surety of the steadfast Khawaja at the start of the innings might be even more sorely missed.
I applaud you sir. I stand and deliver that slow but sincere accolade of the heart, delivered through hands accustomed to recognising the moments that got you to here and amplify them again. Thank you for the constant reminder of what the game’s core values are.
Good guys can finish first.