• Usman Khawaja was confirmed to leave on Thursday.
• He will train with the rest of Australia’s team at Alur facility in Bengaluru.
• The first Test match between India and Australia will begin on February 9.

Usman Khawaja, a key batter for Australia, departed for India on Thursday after receiving approval for his visa.

The 36-year-old was confirmed to leave on Thursday after the papers arrived overnight on Wednesday, according to Cricket Australia.

Before travelling to Nagpur for the first Test next week, the left-hander will train with the rest of the Australian team at the Alur facility in Bengaluru.

India, meh arah hoon. 🇦🇺–>🇮🇳 #incoming #khawajyenroute 🏏 https://www.bolnews.com/sports/2023/02/usman-khawaja-departed-for-india-after-getting-visa-approval/amp/

— Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) February 2, 2023

Over the following few days, players will become used to subcontinental weather, and the series is likely to be played in predominantly spin-friendly weather.

It should be emphasized that the batter, who is of Pakistani descent, was the only member of Australia’s team who did not board the plane because his visa did not come in time.

Since their separation in 1947, ties between Pakistan and India have been tense, and this animosity frequently permeates sports.

The two nations’ last bilateral series took place ten years ago, and Pakistani cricketers are no longer allowed to compete in the lucrative T20 Indian Premier League.

Khawaja has visited India on numerous occasions, including the Test tours in 2013 and 2017. The left-hander also encountered difficulties getting a visa when he travelled to India in 2011 for the T20 Champions League owing to what he called a “admin quirk.”

Khawaja, 36, who had a banner year in which he scored 1,020 runs at an average of 78.46, won the Shane Warne award as Australia’s men’s Test player of the year on Monday.

The first Test match between the two teams will begin on February 9 in Nagpur.

Australia begins the series at Nagpur and then plays Test matches in New Delhi, Dharamsala, and Ahmedabad before an ODI series.

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