In a perfect world, Usman Khawaja would be able to concentrate solely on batting and solidify himself as the rock of Australia's top order.
Now, more than ever, his team needs him to produce a knock emblematic of a Test No.3 batsman at a time when the microscope is firmly on a national team stripped of its leading two run scorers.
Hard at work: Usman Khawaja at Australia's optional training session on Tuesday at the SCG ahead of Thursday's Test. Credit:AP
Khawajas situation, however, is more complex at the moment for reasons completely out of his control.
There was evidence of that at the SCG on Tuesday as the Australian team prepared for the fourth and final Test against India starting on Thursday.
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The 32-year-old was riled by an autograph hunter's sledge about his brother Arsalan, who is behind bars facing charges of attempting to pervert justice and forgery after allegedly setting up a colleague at the University of New South Wales.
Arsalan Khawaja and Mohamed Kamer Nilar Nizamdeen. Credit:Fairfax
Police allege Arsalan Khawaja framed Mohamed Kamer Nilar Nizamdeen by making it appear as if his fellow UNSW employee planned to commit a terrorist attack. The two, it is alleged, were squabbling over a woman.
Last Saturday, he was arrested again after he allegedly tried to contact a witness and in doing so, broke strict bail conditions.
How much the troubles of his brother are weighing on Khawaja is hard to know but he was angered as they were raised bluntly by a member of the public at Australian training.
While walking down to the SCG turf near the Members Pavilion, a middle-aged man with a thick British accent asked Khawaja for an autograph. The interaction then turned sour as the man sledged the batsman about his brother's situation.
Khawaja, who had just posed for photographs with a number of children, was unable to let the comment simply slide. He walked straight back up the stairs towards the dressing-room as team officials were alerted to what had transpired, verbalising his disgust before onlookers as the man walked out of the venue.
Cricket Australia was made aware of the incident and security at the SCG ensured the man did not re-enter the ground on Tuesday.
Khawajas reaction was measured and controlled, particularly given the personal nature of the barb.
He soon after faced up in the SCG nets to a handful of NSW Blues fast bowlers, turning his attention to fininishing off the series against India in style.
He has averaged only 27.83 over the first three Tests – about 15 below his career mark. He has passed 33 once in six innings but is still viewed as arguably the most reliable figure in a shaky Australian top six that is badly missing the suspended Steve Smith and David Warner.
As he demonstrated with his response to the heckler on Tuesday, Khawaja's class stretches well beyond his abilities on the ground.
Staring at a first ever series defeat to India at home, Australia may need every ounce of it this week.
Tom Decent is a journalist with Fairfax Media.
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