On Friday, November 21, the first Ashes Test kicked off at the Perth Stadium, and it couldn't have started better for the home team. They quickly had the Three Lions on the ropes, limiting them to just 172 runs in their first innings. Mitchell Starc was the standout performer, claiming an impressive seven wickets and putting the visitors under serious pressure. However, things took a strange turn after the first innings break when debutant Jake Weatherald opened the batting alongside Marnus Labuschagne. Fans were left puzzled by the absence of Usman Khawaja, who is usually a regular opener for the Kangaroos, and they quickly took to social media to express their concerns. Khawaja didn’t come out to bat, which sent the internet into a bit of a frenzy. But as it turns out, there’s a reason for his absence that has now been clarified. For those who might not know, Usman had been off the field for quite a while during the first innings, and according to ICC rules, a player must spend the same amount of time on the field as they did off it before they can bat or bowl again. Also Read | Will Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah Skip IND vs SA ODIs for T20 WC 2026 Prep? So, when Australia took to the crease, Khawaja wasn’t eligible to open because he had spent too long off the field. Now, he’s just waiting for his time to come up to bat in Australia’s innings. Interestingly, reports have surfaced stating that Khawaja left the field for what was described as a 'toilet break and stretching.' ICC regulations clarified in Khawaja’s case ICC rule: 24.2.3: If a player is absent from the field for longer than 8 minutes, the following restrictions shall apply to their future participation in the match: ICC rule: 24.2.3.2: The player shall not be permitted to bat in the match until his team’s batting innings has been in progress for the length of playing time that is equal to the unexpired Penalty time carried forward from the previous innings. However, once his side has lost five wickets in its batting innings, he may bat immediately. If any unexpired penalty time remains at the end of that batting innings, it is carried forward to the next and subsequent innings of the match.