Ashes: Cricket Australia seeks explanation from Khawaja over his ‘piece of s***’ Perth pitch remarks

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has found himself in hot water over his latest remarks on the Perth pitch used in the first Ashes Test that ended inside two days. The bouncy track at the Optus Stadium saw batters struggling big time before makeshift Aussie opener Travis Head hit a hundred for the ages to win it for his team inside six sessions.

Considering that 19 wickets fell on day one, making it the shortest Test in Australia in 93 years, and second shortest overall Down Under (in terms of balls bowled – just 847 in the match), questions were raised around the Perth pitch, only for ICC to rate it 'very good' in their latest assessment.

Speaking at a fundraising lunch for the Usman Khawaja Foundation, the veteran Test opener criticised the pitch’s variable bounce, saying, "Nineteen wickets on the first day and about 20 people got hit. That's a great wicket, that seems real fair.

"The same thing happened last year in the India Test. It's just that day-one wicket; the ball just does not react.

"Steve Smith's by far the best cricketer I've ever played with, and he's missing the middle of his bat by a long way. He does not miss the middle of his bat (yet); he's getting hit in the elbow.

"So, day-one wicket at Perth is a piece of sh*t, I'm happy to say that. Has been last year, it was this year,” he continued.

Even though CA praised Perth’s wicket, with chief of cricket James Allsopp agreeing with ICC’s rating, Khawaja kept forward his point, with his main issue being the invariable bounce it provided. However, England’s poor batting, also bashed left, right and centre by their batting great Geoffrey Boycott, saw the visitors getting wrapped up within 70 overs across both innings.

"You can't really predict up and down. Up and down is the hardest. Sideways is a little bit easier," he said. But up and down, your hands can't catch up. They do get better. Day two, day three and then day four, they start to crack up and cure again.

"Whenever we play at Perth, it's one of the few places we win the toss, bat first, hoping that we can bat again maybe at the end of day two and into day three,” he added.

The left-hander is expected to return to the side for the second Test, a Day/Night game at the Gabba in Brisbane, starting Dec 4.