Usman Khawaja, Australia's seasoned opening batsman, surprisingly did not walk out to open the innings for Australia in the first Ashes Test against England at Perth Stadium. This unexpected absence sparked considerable discussion among fans and commentators alike. Debutant Jake Weatherald instead partnered with Marnus Labuschagne at the top of the order. The reason behind this reshuffle wasn't a tactical decision or related to Khawaja's form, but rather a consequence of an ICC rule regarding player absence from the field.

During England's innings, Khawaja had left the field due to back stiffness and received medical treatment for back spasms. According to ICC regulations, specifically Rule 24.2.3, if a player is absent from the field for more than 8 minutes, certain restrictions apply to their participation in the match. The rule states that the player cannot bat until the team's batting innings has progressed for a duration equivalent to the time the player was off the field.

England's innings concluded rapidly, with their lower order collapsing while Khawaja was still undergoing treatment. The timing of Khawaja's return to the field, combined with the swift end to England's innings, meant that he hadn't served the required time on the field to be eligible to open. As Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, explained, "Usman had some back spasms, he had some treatments, but we got on the wrong side of the time, which meant he couldn't open". Cummins admitted that the team might have misjudged the timing, leading to the unfortunate situation.

The situation forced Australia to adjust their batting order. Jake Weatherald, who was making his debut, opened alongside Marnus Labuschagne, while Steve Smith moved up to number three. Weatherald's debut was short-lived, as he was dismissed for a duck. Khawaja eventually came in to bat at number four when Labuschagne was dismissed.

Former Australian players and commentators expressed their opinions on the matter. Tom Moody described the situation as "poor management" and "beyond a joke". Mitchell Starc acknowledged that the team was "caught off guard" by the situation.

Adding to the intrigue, reports emerged that Khawaja had played golf the day before the Test match. He even won a golf competition at Lake Karrinyup Country Club. While it's not uncommon for Khawaja and other Australian cricketers to play golf before a Test, the timing of his back issue raised some eyebrows. Cricket Australia clarified that Khawaja's back stiffness was a new injury and not related to his golf outing.

Ultimately, Usman Khawaja's absence from the opening slot was a result of unfortunate timing and the strict application of ICC regulations. While it led to a temporary reshuffling of the batting order and some criticism, the incident highlights the importance of understanding and adhering to the rules of the game.