Usman Khawaja's fight to return to the Test arena starts at the Olympic Stadium on Friday night.
Twenty20 may not be the perfect platform to make a case for Test selection, but it is certainly not the worst according to Sydney Thunder coach Shane Duff.
The consensus is Khawaja's chances of playing for Australia this summer are slim at best, due to the lack of first-class cricket.
However, Duff does not see it that way.
"I think it has been proven over time that runs and form are runs and form - no matter what format they're playing in," Duff said ahead of the clash with the Adelaide Strikers.
"I've got no doubt players can make runs and get themselves into that Test team if the opportunity arises."
Khawaja returned to Thunder training on Thursday, a day after he was omitted for the Boxing Day Test.
Daniel Smith, who will be the side's stand-in captain in the absence of David Warner, suggested the 25-year-old was taking a glass-half-full view to his omission from the Test squad.
"I spoke to him on the phone yesterday and he's keen as mustard to get involved (with the Thunder)," Smith said.
"The good thing he said was concentrating on playing more Twenty20 cricket - now that he hasn't got to shuffle Test cricket with T20 cricket.
"He (wants) to show his worth in Twenty20 cricket."
Khawaja received support from the opposition camp on Thursday, with Strikers coach Darren Berry sympathising with his plight.
"I thought it was a tough call on him to be honest... he's a class player," Berry said.
The Strikers will have to make at least one change to the side that easily accounted for Melbourne Renegades, with Nathan Lyon on Test duty.
Leg spinners James Muirhead, an 18-year-old who has played for Australia's under-19 side this year, and 39-year-old one-time Test player Bryce McGain are in line to replace Lyon.
Adelaide are even considering a four-prong spin attack featuring McGain and Muirhead alongside incumbent tweakers Aaron O'Brien and Johan Botha.
"We'll have a look at the pitch and that will determine it."
Smith was tight-lipped on who would replace Warner and open the batting with West Indies ace Chris Gayle.
"It could be any one of four or five players, depending on their team and the pitch."
AAP
Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia First posted December 23, 2011 13:31:18
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