India, Nov. 25 -- Usman Khawaja has come out of Perth with almost no runs, a bad back, and an Instagram post that has shoved him into the middle of Australia's latest Ashes argument. In a match where Travis Head's blistering century at the top of the order set up an eight-wicket win, it is Khawaja's gold-course photo and a seven-word caption that have become the more polarising talking point.

For a 38-year-old opener already under scrutiny, the combination of a low-impact Test, visible discomfort, and a playful social media post has lit up the debate around professionalism, preparation, and his future at the top of the order.

In the lead-up to the first Ashes Test, Usman Khawaja is understood to have played golf on three consecutive day...