Usman Khawaja happy to bat 'wherever' needed during India Tests

Usman Khawaja is happy to bat "wherever" the Australian selectors want him to as he prepares to make a return following a knee surgery during the upcoming Test series against India.

Image credit:Twitter/@cricketcomau

Australian batsman Usman Khawaja, who has been recalled in the national squad after recovering from a minor knee surgery, is ready to bat "wherever" the selectors want him to during the upcoming four-match Test series against India. 

Though the 31-year-old is an automatic selection in Playing XI, at what position he will bat lies in the hand of Test skipper Tim Paine. 

Khawaja is one of the six specialist batsmen named in Australia's 14-member squad for the first two Tests of India series, beginning December 6 at the Adelaide Oval. 

With uncapped Victoria opener Marcus Harris also getting the nod for the opening two Test matches along with state teammate Aaron Finch, Khawaja is likely to either open the batting for Australia or retain his place at No. 3 position. 

"I'm happy to bat wherever.I've said that to Painey. He (Harris) is obviously an opener. I expect him to open,"cricket.com.au quoted Khawaja as saying. 

Ahead of the Test series, Khawaja will lead Queensland in their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria--which will serve as his first match since undergoing a surgery to treat a torn meniscus which he sustained while warming up during the second Test of the two-match series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. 

Reflecting on the same, the top-order batsman affirmed that he is absolutely fit now, however, admitting that he is looking forward to the upcoming Shield match as a comeback ahead of the Test series. 

"I'm fine right now. It's just about playing some cricket now. It's feeling alright at training.I've done as much as I can at training so hopefully, fingers crossed, it keeps going well. I have had a pretty high workload the last two weeks; batted, ran, fielded. Everything is going well thus far," he added.

While Harris got a break in the Australia Test squad on the back of his recent terrific performances in the domestic first-class cricket for Victoria, his teammate Peter Handscomb also found his way back after missing out on selection for the team's recent series against Pakistan in the UAE. 

Test incumbent  Travis Head and veteran Shaun Marsh have also been called up in the Australian squad, with the Queensland duo of Matthew Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne being dropped for the series against the Virat Kohli-led side. 

The two sides are currently playing a three-match T20I series, with Australia having taken the lead following their narrow four-run win over India in the opening match at The Gabba, Brisbane on Wednesday.