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Jason Gillespie defends Usman Khawaja’s racism stance but differs on golf controversy: 'It’s not abuse'
Gillespie backed Khawaja for speaking out on racism and also addressed debate around his decision to play golf before Ashes opener, which drew sharp criticism.
Veteran Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie weighed in on Usman Khawaja’s retirement press conference, where the left-hander hit back at his critics. Khawaja also spoke candidly about facing racial stereotypes and being treated differently from other Australian players throughout his career.
Gillespie did not question Khawaja for speaking out about the racism he faced, but he also made it clear that he didn’t fully agree with everything the Australian opener said during the press conference.
“I’m not questioning the racism that Usman has faced throughout his life,” he told ABC Sport.
During the press conference, Khawaja addressed the backlash he faced for playing three days of golf before the Ashes opener in Perth, where he later suffered back spasms and was unable to open the batting for Australia in the second innings.
“I’ve actually always admired him and applauded him for speaking up because racism is a big stain on our society, and it always needs to be called out. He referenced racism when he was talking about the criticism that he received. A few former players came out and quite rightly questioned whether that [playing golf] was the best possible preparation," he added.
The former Australian pacer backed Khawaja for speaking out on racism and also weighed in on the controversy surrounding his decision to play golf before the Ashes opener, a move that drew sharp criticism and intense scrutiny.
“Being questioned over that and being held to account over your choices, that’s not bullying, it’s not abuse, that’s all part and parcel of being a professional. You can’t really throw a temper tantrum when asked to take accountability for the job you’re actually paid to do, “ he added.
Gillespie counters Khawaja's lazy claims
Gillespie shared his perspective on the Ashes discussion, responding to Khawaja’s remarks by defending the scrutiny around preparation while questioning claims that Khawaja had been labelled “lazy” by the media.
“I think the media in this space have been very consistent throughout this Ashes series. They’ve consistently questioned the preparation of the England side. I don’t see how that’s been any different.”
“Usman also referenced that he’s been called lazy his whole life. I haven’t seen anything in the media that’s been said or written by anyone that’s referenced Usman being lazy, so I’m not sure where that’s come from,” Gillespie said.
Khawaja will walk into his farewell Test at the age of 39 with a body of work to be proud of. Across 87 appearances, he has piled up 6,206 runs, striking 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries, while maintaining a healthy average of 43.39 from 157 innings.
