SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 06: Usman Khawaja of Australia celebrates his century during day two of the Fourth Test Match in the Ashes series between Australia and England at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 06, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Usman Khawaja has seen an incredible resurrection of his test career as he continues to perform becoming the first Australian batsman to score a ton in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar trophy, aiding his country to take the reigns of the fourth test with an unbeaten 104 at stumps on day one.

The veteran opener has been around the test squad for a while but has arguably played his best cricket over the last 18 months cementing himself as an integral part of the Australian top order.

Post his unbeaten knock yesterday, Khawaja was critical of his involvement and support received in the previous phases of his career.

"Any time I got out to spin, people were like, 'you can't play spin'. I probably started believing it myself," Khawaja said.

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"I didn't really get the support from the people around me at the time. Didn't feel like the team really supported me, didn't feel like the coaching staff and selectors really supported me through that journey.

"It just made it so hard.

"Whether I was or wasn't – yes I'm a better player of spin now, no doubt about that, I have more shots, better defence – but I didn't really get the opportunity to learn at that early stage."

From running drinks at multiple India tours to helping the Aussies fight back after a disappointing effort in the first two tests, Khawaja was overwhelmed with his gritty performance.

"I don't think I've ever smiled so much on getting a century – there was emotion in it," he said.

"Throughout the middle of my career I got told I couldn't play spin and that's why I never got an opportunity to play in India.

"I got an opportunity to play in a white-ball series a few years ago and was man of the series, got an opportunity here again with the red ball.

"It's just nice to go out there and tick off a hundred in India, which was something if you asked me five years ago (and) you told me that, I'd think you were crazy.

"There was a lot of emotion, I just never expected this to happen."

The left-hander will look to convert this ton into a match-winning innings, on day two to put the Aussies firmly in the driver's seat at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and continue this phenomenal career resurgence.