Australian opening batter Usman Khawaja was not allowed to open the batting with debutant Jake Weatherald on Day 1 of the first 2025-26 Ashes Test against England at Perth. The 38-year-old was not permitted to walk out to bat after spending limited time on the field in the visitors’ first innings, where they were bundled out for 172. Marnus Labuschagne walked out with the debutant in Khawaja’s absence.
Cricket Australia reportedly said that the left-hander’s absence from the field was because of “toilet breaks and stretching”. However, it later emerged that Khawaja had suffered “back stiffness” and a back spasm had delayed his return to fielding in the first innings.
But since the southpaw had spent a considerable amount of time away from the field due to an external injury, he could not open the batting when it was time for the hosts to come out to bat.
ICC regulations state that if a player is off the field for more than eight minutes, then the player will not be allowed to bat in the match until “his team’s batting innings has been in progress for the length of playing time that is equal to the unexpired Penalty time carried forward from the previous innings.”
“ICC rule: 24.2.3: If a player is absent from the field for longer than 8 minutes, the following restrictions shall apply to their future participation in the match:
“24.2.3.2: The player shall not be permitted to bat in the match until his team’s batting innings has been in progress for the length of playing time that is equal to the unexpired Penalty time carried forward from the previous innings. However, once his side has lost five wickets in its batting innings, he may bat immediately. If any unexpired penalty time remains at the end of that batting innings, it is carried forward to the next and subsequent innings of the match,” the regulation said.
Khawaja came out to bat at number four on Friday, but fell caught behind to Brydon Carse for two runs in the 18th over.
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