Australia vs West Indies: Australian opening batsman Usman Khawaja retired injured after being hit by bouncer

In the Australia vs West Indies Test, Australian opening batsman Usman Khawaja had to leave the field after an extreme bouncer from the West Indies’ Shamar Joseph bashed him on the chin. Despite this setback, Australia clinched a dominant 10-wicket victory over the West Indies.

The 37-year-old Khawaja faced a daunting delivery that led to him spitting blood. Fortunately, subsequent scans revealed no significant damage to his jaw. While he passed an initial concussion assessment, further evaluations are scheduled to determine his participation in the upcoming Brisbane day-night Test on January 25th.

Usman Khawaja humorously addressed the incident on Instagram, expressing relief and making light of the situation.

Australia’s position was strong, having already dismissed the West Indies for a minor score, with the visitors following by 95 runs in the first innings. The Australian bowling attack, spearheaded by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, dismantled the West Indies batting line-up, leaving them wobbling at 73-6 and later 94-9. Hazlewood’s stellar performance earned him a career-best 9-79.

With a modest target of 26, Australia’s victory seemed imminent. Khawaja’s unexpected exit brought Marnus Labuschagne to the crease, who swiftly secured the win.

In the event of Khawaja’s unavailability for the next match, Matt Renshaw might step in, given his presence as a potential concussion substitute in this match. Cameron Bancroft, another contender, was overlooked for the initial squad despite his strong domestic form, which captain Pat Cummins explained as a strategic choice rather than a reflection of past controversies.

Summing up the match, Cummins praised the swift conclusion and the challenge posed by the wicket. On the other hand, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite lamented his team’s batting performance, acknowledging the learning curve against the top-ranked Test team.