Adelaide, Dec 13 (NationPress) Australia’s opening batsman Usman Khawaja is optimistic about his participation in the upcoming third Test against England, as discussions heat up regarding his potential exclusion at the Adelaide Oval.

Despite asserting that he is “100 percent fit” and ready to take part in the third Ashes Test next week, Khawaja is uncertain about whether he will be selected.

Following Australia’s victories in the first two Tests with the opening pair of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, Khawaja, who will celebrate his 39th birthday on the second day of the Test, expressed that he is not troubled by the speculation surrounding his future on the team.

“I’m still valued by the team, still asked to be here to play, so I’m here. I’m always mindful of the future, I always have been. I’m not here to hang on, I’m just here to enjoy my cricket. As long as I’m valued I’m here, I’m doing my job. I just like to compete. I can bat so many different ways. I’ve been successful in all formats, I’ve got gears when I want to. My sample size will tell you that you’ve got to find a way to be consistent for a long period of time, not just over a game or two,” Khawaja stated in a quote by Cricket Australia.

The seasoned player, with 85 Tests under his belt, defended his performance while dismissing Head’s previous remarks, showing no signs of imminent retirement.

“I am the guy who, as much as people sometimes want to have a go at me, I love playing for Australia, I’m still very committed. I train hard, I do everything right. So for me, it’s irrelevant what others say. For me, it’s more about just being a professional. People can have opinions; that’s absolutely no worries to me. I can’t sit down and worry about what other people think, especially outside of the squad,” Khawaja added.

In Perth, Khawaja experienced back spasms that hindered his ability to open the batting in the first innings due to time spent off the field. His condition deteriorated when he returned for Australia’s second bowling innings, ultimately ending his participation in the Gabba Test.

Selectors are contemplating whether to maintain their new strategy or revert to their previous approach after Head’s remarkable century in the second innings at Perth and their quick-fire partnerships in Brisbane, where they achieved partnerships of 77 runs off 79 balls and 37 runs off 35 balls.

“I’ve got to be totally honest, it doesn’t really faze me. The older I have gotten, the more comfortable I have become with the things I can control and those I can’t. I feel really good and I’m ready to go. The rest of it is not in my control. So we’ll see what happens,” Khawaja commented on the ongoing speculation.

“I’m probably a bit more structured in how I’m preparing for this next game. I won’t do too much today – I just came straight off the flight. I’ll walk, loosen up and stretch, then work my way up tomorrow. I’ve never enjoyed doing stuff the day of flights anyway, but I’m probably more cautious about it now.”

“I think that was half the reason why what happened (in Perth) occurred – the long flight, a six-hour journey, and a bit of a delay didn’t help. I did feel sore afterward, so I always try to be mindful of flights,” he reflected.

The Adelaide Test is set to commence on Wednesday, with Australia currently leading the series 2-0.