Queensland captain Usman Khawaja is set to open the batting for the Bulls in their Sheffield Shield match against NSW at the Gabba, following the withdrawal of Joe Burns, who has Covid-19.
Khawaja, who usually bats at No.4 for Queensland, opened for Australia in the final Test of the Ashes series against England.
With Burns isolating at home after returning a positive PCR test, Khawaja confirmed on Tuesday he would open the batting for the Bulls in the Shield match starting on Wednesday.
“I wasn’t going to (open) if Joe Burns was fit, but Joe Burns is out, so most likely I’ll put myself at the top,” he said.
The Bulls also have the option of shifting former Test opener Matt Renshaw, who nowadays bats in the middle order for Queensland, to the top of the order.
Filling the vacancy left by Burns in Queensland’s 13-man squad is in-form 28-year-old Wests batsman Sam Truloff, who last played for the Bulls in October 2018.
Truloff has scored five centuries for Wests this season, and was close to a sixth before being dismissed for 97 last weekend against Ipswich.
He has made 1081 runs at an average of 77.21 this season in all formats of the game for Wests.
The Bulls side will also feature the four Queenslanders – Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser and Mitch Swepson – who have been named in Australia’s squad for the upcoming tour of Pakistan.
Bulls 13-man squad: Usman Khawaja (c), Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Blake Edwards, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Mitchell Swepson. Sam Truloff, Jack Wildermuth (one to be omitted, 12th man to be named at the toss)
