Usman Khawaja's future thrown into doubt as George Bailey confirms potential Travis Head switch

Travis Head's promotion to the top of Australia's batting order for the Test tour of Sri Lanka is looking more and more likely, but it's thrown up questions about Usman Khawaja's future. Australia announced its 16-man squad on Thursday for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka that gets underway in Galle on January 29, with young gun Cooper Connolly's call-up perhaps the biggest shock.

Connolly has earned his first red-ball selection the national side after superb Sheffield Shield form for Western Australia and the Scorchers in the BBL. Nathan McSweeney comes back into the squad after being dropped for Sam Konstas ahead of the Boxing Day Test. And spinners Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann have been selected alongside Nathan Lyon, with conditions expected to favour the slow bowlers on the turning pitches in Galle. Connolly also offers the Aussies another spinning option.

Pat Cummins was left out as expected, with the Aussie skipper to remain home with wife Becky for the birth of their second child and Steve Smith to take over the captaincy. Fellow quick Josh Hazlewood will also stay home as he recovers from a calf injury picked up during the Test series against India. Glenn Maxwell's hopes of playing Test cricket again have been dashed after he was left out and there was no room for Peter Handscomb, who excelled in spin-friendly conditions during the India tour in 2023.

Usman Khawaja's role at opener in doubt for Sri Lanka tour

But it's the make-up of Australia's batting order that is sparking plenty of debate, amid a growing sense the Aussies will promote Head to opener, potentially at Khawaja's expense. Head excelled at opener the last time Australia toured the sub-continent, with the 30-year-old scoring 223 runs at 55.75 in the series against India, after coming in for David Warner.

And Australia's chairman of selectors George Bailey admits they are seriously considering switching Head to the top of the order to face the new ball, rather then coming in when the conditions are more spin-friendly. "Trav's an option (to open)," Bailey said. "We've got a number of options and there's been a few preliminary discussions around where that may land, and that may depend on the makeup of that first XI. I think Andrew (McDonald, head coach) and Steve (Smith, captain) will settle on that in due course, once we hit Sri Lanka."

Khawaja is regarded as a more accomplished player of spin than Head so having him come in later in the innings when the ball is doing more would make sense. But the inclusion of McSweeney, Connolly and Josh Inglis complicates matters for the veteran batter, with all three presenting intriguing alternatives for the Aussies to consider in the middle order. Connolly has been on fire with the bat this season and his left-arm orthodox spin makes him a compelling consideration.

"There's a lot to like," Bailey said about 21-year-old Connolly, who has been given a taste of international white-ball cricket for Australia. "He was picked in the Australia A game at the start of the (summer) against India, and then joined the one-day group after that. So he's someone that we've had our eye on for a period of time, and like what we're seeing. I've talked in the past about his left arm spin, and our desire to continue investing in that and seeing where that goes. But certainly, I think his actual batting skill set is suited to the middle order."

Could Usman Khawaja bat in the middle order in Sri Lanka?

Khawaja's fellow opener Konstas could also drop down the order but his batting is probably more suited against the new ball and a combination with Head could be devastating. Cricket expert Bharat Sundaresan told SEN radio on Thursday that it probably makes the most sense for Khawaja to move out of opener, having previously expressed a desire to do so.

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“Usman Khawaja did say... that he wants to finish his career in the middle order, so this may be that opportunity,” Sundaresan told SEN radio. “If Head is opening and they want to stick with Konstas, you can see a scenario where Khawaja drops down the order because you know he can play spin as well as anyone in that side…

"Or they could stick with Head and Khawaja and play Konstas elsewhere because number three and four are taken. They go to Sri Lanka with multiple orders, but I’d be surprised if Head doesn’t open there because of the impact he can have on those pitches at the very top.”

If Head was to have success at the top of the order, it would seemingly plunge Khawaja's Test future into doubt. Selectors could look to keep Head as an opener moving forward, and with Cameron Green set to return in the middle order later this year, the 38-year-old Khawaja could find himself out of the team.