New Delhi, Nov 29 (NationPress) Usman Khawaja is likely to receive an official notice from Cricket Australia after openly criticizing the Perth Stadium pitch for the opening Ashes Test, calling it a “piece of st” during a charity event this week.

Reports indicate that CA officials were displeased with the opener’s comments, particularly since match referee Ranjan Madugalle had rated the wicket as “very good”, the highest possible rating from an ICC official.

Madugalle’s evaluation came after a match concluded in less than two days, noting the surface had “good carry, limited seam movement, and consistent early bounce,” which he deemed contributed to a fair contest between bat and ball.

However, Khawaja expressed a starkly different opinion. At the charity gathering, he criticized the pitch for its inconsistent bounce, referencing the swift fall of wickets on Day 1 and the number of players struck, emphasizing that even a player of Steve Smith’s caliber struggled to connect due to the unpredictable movement.

“Nineteen wickets fell on the first day, and around 20 players were hit. That’s a great wicket; it seems quite fair. Steve Smith is undoubtedly the best cricketer I’ve played alongside, and he’s missing the middle of his bat significantly – he doesn’t usually miss the middle. He’s getting hit in the elbow. The up-and-down movement is the most challenging; sideways is somewhat easier. But the up-and-down movement, your hands can’t keep up. So, the Day 1 pitch at (Perth) is a piece of st, and I’m not afraid to say that. It was bad last year; it’s bad this year,” Khawaja stated at the event for his Usman Khawaja Foundation.

Khawaja further noted that the pitch generally improves after the first day, explaining that Days 2 and 3 are typically the best for batting. “They do improve. Day two, day three, and then day four, they start to crack and revert. We know day two and day three are usually the best times to bat. So, whenever we play in Perth, it’s one of the rare occasions we win the toss and choose to bat first, hoping we can bat again towards the end of day two and into day three,” the Queenslander added.

Cricket Australia is anticipated to formally address this situation, as Khawaja’s comments have garnered attention not only for their bluntness but for their direct contradiction to the ICC’s top rating of the pitch.