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Message: [QUOTE="1910, post: 2658831, member: 8272"] [h=2]Khawaja on the Comeback Trail[/h] [LIST] [*]March 9, 2015 [*]in The Bulls . [/LIST] To say season 2014-15 has been a trying one for Usman Khawaja would be an understatement. The stylish batsman’s quest to capitalise on his endless potential hit a significant roadblock in December after a torn anterior cruciate ligament cruelly ruled him out for the remainder of the summer on the eve of the KFC T20 Big Bash League. It was Khawaja’s second major injury of the season, and by far the most serious he has suffered in his seven-year first-class career. Things started relatively smoothly for the 28-year old early in the season after he flew out of the blocks in the Matador Cup, smashing 523 runs at an average of 74.41 to top the competition’s run scorers list. His seven innings in the tournament included two centuries, with the highlight a superb 166 from 110 balls to help the my Foot Dr Queensland Bulls chase down a mammoth total of 399 against Tasmania at North Sydney Oval. It was the type of form that had him in the frame to add to his three One-Day International caps and ultimately push for a World Cup berth. His campaign however came to an abrupt end after sustaining a broken thumb that kept him out of the Bulls’ preliminary final loss to the New South Wales Blues and the start of the Sheffield Shield season. Instead of winning matches for the Bulls and pushing for a national recall, he has had to spend most of the season on the sidelines, and admits struggling at times to watch his teammates play while knowing he can’t contribute. “It’s disappointing that I can’t be a part of this, but the injury is coming along well. I’m at 10-weeks now since surgery and everything is going as planned. It’s a long process. I’m not even a quarter of the way through now, so there is still a lot of work to do,” Khawaja said while watching the Bulls play Western Australia at Allan Border Field last week. “It’s been a bit up and down. I’ve never been out of the game for this long. As a cricketer you never hope to be out of the game, but this is the longest rehab injury you can get. It’s tough but I just try and stay really busy,” he continued. While some cricketers love spending time watching the game, Khawaja admits to being a frustrated spectator which has often added to his pain of sitting on the sidelines. “I’m a horrible cricket watcher. I’ve got no patience for watching cricket, but I force myself to come in and have some banter with the boys. It’s really hard for me to stay still when I’m watching.” The next couple of months for Khawaja will be spent getting back to full fitness in the gym and pool before picking up the bat again in the off-season in an attempt to return bigger and better in 2015-16. With such a long way back from injury he is unable to look as far forward as re-capturing his baggy green cap, however playing for Australia is definitely something he aspires to do again. “It’s too far to think of (playing for Australia) but it’s obviously in the back of my mind. It’s something I wanted to do this season but unfortunately I can’t. “I think everyone should be striving to reach that level no matter who you are, but first and foremost I need to stay fit, stay on the park then get some confidence back. Hopefully things take care of themselves from there.” - See more at: [url=http://www.qldcricket.com.au/blog/2015/03/09/khawaja-on-the-comeback-trail/#sthash.TI1RIEQ1.dpuf]Khawaja on the Comeback TrailQueensland Cricket[/url] [/QUOTE]

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