DECEMBER 25 is special to Usman Khawaja - it is the eve of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
Khawaja will join the Australian squad and their families for the traditional Christmas lunch at Crown casino tomorrow afternoon but, of course, for the man seemingly destined to become Australia's first Muslim Test cricketer, it's not a Christmas lunch at all. It's just another feed.
Khawaja was expected on an early flight from Sydney to Melbourne today as back-up for captain Ricky Ponting. About four hours later, Ponting again will test his fractured finger, this time batting in the nets.
Khawaja, 24, struggles to understand the interest in his beliefs.
Religion has been a factor in his cricket only once, when he forgot to tell NSW coach Matthew Mott he was fasting for Ramadan. Otherwise, it's a non-issue to him and everyone else in Australian cricket.
"I was surprised to get the call, thought I probably wouldn't get it," he said.
"Punter (Ponting) is a tough bloke. I just thought they probably wouldn't send anyone down.
"I was going to spend the Christmas weekend relaxing with mates. It's going to be different mates I'm going to be relaxing with now.
"I'm happy to bide my time. I'm closer than I ever thought I'd be five years ago, so I'm just enjoying it.
"I'll probably hang with Shane Watson the most because he plays guitar and I learned off him. I'd be over the moon to make a debut."
Ponting did everything possible to keep his fractured left little finger out of harm's way at training yesterday. He threw balls at batting coach Justin Langer for edges to be given to the new-look slips cordon: Shane Watson at first, Michael Clarke at second, Steve Smith at third and Mike Hussey at fourth or in the gully.
Ponting is likely to direct proceedings from mid-on or mid-off.
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