Australia skipper Tim Paine is certain that left-handed batsman Usman Khawaja will be fit and accessible for the first Ashes Test against England starting August 1 at Edgbaston.
Khawaja had gotten hamstring injury during Australia's clash against South Africa in the currently finished up World Cup and was in this manner administered out of the competition. He will likewise not be accessible for the warm-up Test slated to start Tuesday.
'I don't think he's in serious doubt (of missing the first Ashes Test),' Paine said. 'He's in a rehab stage so the decision has been made that he won't play at this stage.'
'There is a possibility, maybe, if something were to happen to someone else he might be right for the back end of the game. But we expect him to be fully fit and available for selection for the first Test,' he included.
The 32-year-old has been batting at the no.3 spot since the last Ashes series in England four years back, posting eight centuries and a normal of 47.76 in that period.
Cricket Australia selectors are set to name the Ashes squad toward the finish of the four-day game between Hick XII, driven by Paine and Haddin XII captained by Travis Head.
