Australia have explained Usman Khawaja’s absence from the field during England’s innings as due to “back spasms”.

Khawaja was not allowed to open the batting alongside Test debutant Jake Weatherald in Australia’s Ashes opener in Perth on Friday because he had spent too much time off the field during England’s innings.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Peter Lalor provides explanation for Usman Khawaja absence.

It meant Marnus Labuschagne, on return to the Test team after being dropped for the West Indies series earlier this year, had to move up the order to open the batting.

Naturally then, as the only specialist opener in the pairing, Weatherland faced the first ball of the innings from Jofra Archer, who took just two deliveries to claim his wicket with a thunderbolt that crashed into the Tasma

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