in front of the Ashes 2025-26 series, veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja has expressed confidence in the queensland The potential of the top three to thrive in the upcoming five-match Test series against England.
Usman Khawaja unveils his Australia batting lineup for Ashes 2025-26
Khawaja, who has been in excellent form for Australia, gave enthusiastic support to Matthew Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagnestating that his inclusion in the team would be crucial to the stability of Australia’s batting.
According to Khawaja, Queensland’s top-class trio of himself, Renshaw and Labuschagne would be the ideal line-up, with Labuschagne returning to his natural number 3 position, where he has been prolific for both his state and Australia. Khawaja’s comments come ahead of the Sheffield Shield clash with New South Waleswhere players look to fine-tune their form ahead of the first Ashes match in Perth next month.
“Queensland… one, two and three would be great, I think our best line-up has Marnus three, (Steve) Smith four and (Travis) Head five.” Khawaja was quoted by West.com.au.
Khawaja’s backing of Renshaw for an Ashes retirement highlights Renshaw’s recent improvement and mental clarity, which has positioned him as a strong contender for the starting job. Renshaw, who has experienced a rollercoaster career with Australia, has found new confidence after a strong domestic season and a solid run in the ODI series against England.
“I know if Renshaw is picked he will be in the best place now to get a chance in Australia again and be ready to score runs. Obviously I’m a bit biased because he’s my opening partner and a friend of mine, but he’s been there and done that. He’s scored 184 for Australia.” added the veteran cricketer.
Khawaja, while acknowledging their personal friendship, emphasized Renshaw’s preparation, highlighting his resilience after being in and out of the Australian team. Khawaja also praised his opening partner for learning from his experiences, highlighting how Renshaw has grown both mentally and technically since his last spell in the Australian team.
“He’s been in and out of the Australian team and that allows you to grow, as I know from experience. It allows you to learn from experiences when you get the opportunity again. Whenever Rennie gets his chance… I know he’ll be ready. He hasn’t done himself any harm with the way he’s played in the last three one-day games. He’s handled the pressure very well and looked good, which he always does when he gets to the next level. You feel like he’s a guy who really belongs.” to the next level.” the lefty also stated.
READ ALSO: England’s David Lloyd predicts the winner and score of The Ashes 2025-26 against Australia
Ashes 2025-26: Khawaja’s mentorship and influence beyond the field
Khawaja’s influence on Renshaw’s career extends beyond the field. The veteran opener revealed that Renshaw had taken a leaf from his book by deleting the Cricket Australia app and concentrating on his game without worrying about outside comments. Renshaw himself has credited Khawaja with being an important mentor, even joking that he copies everything Khawaja does, from his cricket team to living just minutes away from him.
In addition to his support for Renshaw, Khawaja also praised Labuschagne, who has been in brilliant form during the domestic season. Labuschagne, who has already racked up four centuries this summer, is known for his work ethic but has recently taken a more balanced approach to training. Khawaja revealed that Labuschagne had made adjustments to his routine, hitting fewer balls in practice to give his mind a break. This approach has paid off for Labuschagne, whose results continue to impress.
“I’m not surprised he deleted the CA app and isn’t looking at paper. That’s straight out of the Khawaja playbook. I haven’t done it in six years and I’m glad he went the same way. I was the same way. I was worried about everyone else, but then I started worrying about myself and enjoying life as it is and I started playing a lot better.” the 40-year-old man observed.
“He literally copies everything I do. He wears DSC (cricket clothes), wears Nike shoes and even lives five minutes from my house. He’s a ‘mini-Uz’. Our best team has Marnus. He brings a lot of energy, so I hope he comes back. He’s hitting fewer balls (in training) than ever. He doesn’t hit balls before the game in the morning. Normally he was there for an hour, but he’s giving his brain a bit. More like a rest. He always works hard but now he chooses when he works hard. He’s growing up and understanding that he doesn’t need to hit four million balls to be ready. “It’s just about finding a balance.” Khawaja concluded.
Also READ: Ashes 2025-26: Steve Harmison makes jaw-dropping prediction on Joe Root’s potential series average and score
