Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has announced his retirement from international cricket, with the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney serving as his final appearance. His decision comes as Australia holds a 3-1 lead in the series against England. During his announcement, Khawaja, who turned 39 last month, reflected on his 15-year career, addressing past instances of racial stereotyping and his evolution as a batter in subcontinent conditions. Concurrently, Australian Test captain Steve Smith confirmed his intention to continue playing Test cricket, citing the need for batting stability within the national team.
Usman Khawaja's Retirement and Career
Usman Khawaja's final international match is scheduled to be the fifth Ashes Test, commencing at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday at 10:30 am AEDT. Khawaja noted that his career had provided lasting memories, friendships, and life lessons, and he acknowledged the sacrifices made by his parents.
Khawaja, who relocated to Sydney from Pakistan as a child, made his Test debut at the SCG during the 2010-11 Ashes series. He scored his first Ashes century, 171 runs against England, at the venue in 2018. His career experienced a resurgence at age 35, notably when he scored twin centuries against England at the SCG in 2022, a period during which he hit seven centuries in two years.
Khawaja is the second player in the last decade to retire while still a member of the Australian Test team, a precedent set by David Warner two summers prior.
Test Career Statistics:
- Tests: 87
- Runs: 6,206
- Average: 43.39
- Centuries: 16
- Half-centuries: 28
Addressing Racial Stereotyping
During his announcement, Khawaja addressed instances of racial stereotyping he reported experiencing in the media, particularly leading up to the Ashes series. He cited comments that questioned his commitment, describing them as 'the same stereotypes, the racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life.' Khawaja stated that he continued to encounter such perceptions, noting, 'there’s still a little bit out there, which I still have to fight every single day, which is the frustrating thing for me.'
He concluded his remarks with a message of inspiration for children, particularly 'those who feel that they are different, those who feel they don’t belong, or those others tell they will never make it.' He identified himself as 'a proud Muslim, coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team.'
Evolution as a Subcontinent Batter
Khawaja's career included eight instances of being dropped from the Australian Test team over 15 years. A significant omission occurred prior to the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in India. Despite accumulating 581 Test runs at an average of 58.10 across six matches against Pakistan and South Africa in the 2016/17 season, including a century and an unbeaten half-century, Khawaja was excluded from Australia's starting XI for the India series. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh was selected instead. National selectors cited concerns regarding Khawaja's performance against spin bowling in the subcontinent, where he had averaged 19.16 in four prior Tests.
Regarding this 2017 omission, Khawaja stated, "I’d gone through so many tough times at the start of my career, [the belief that] I couldn’t play spin in the subcontinent. I didn’t feel like I was supported, even from the coaching staff. It’s not having a crack at the coaching staff, I just didn’t feel like I was supported. So I really struggled in the subcontinent."
Steve Smith, who was the Australian captain at the time, acknowledged that Khawaja did not receive the decision well. Smith commented, "We didn’t think he was playing the spinners as well as he does now," adding, "He hates us for it."
Khawaja had an opportunity to address his record in Asia when selected as an opener for Australia’s two-match series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in 2018. Coach Justin Langer provided encouragement prior to the series, with Khawaja recalling Langer's words: "JL is the one guy who actually gave me hope and love at that time. He said, ‘Uzzie, go out there. I believe you. I’ve seen you play spin in Australia. You can do it.’ I’ve always loved JL for that."
In the series opener in Dubai, Khawaja scored 85 and 141 runs, batting for 522 minutes and facing 302 deliveries in conditions he described as "relentless." During this performance, Khawaja utilized reverse sweeps, a shot he noted was previously met with criticism in Test cricket, stating he made the shot "part of Australian cricket."
Following the 2018 series against Pakistan, Khawaja’s Test average in the subcontinent significantly improved. Across 13 subsequent matches in Asia, he averaged 82.77, scoring five centuries, including 232 against Sri Lanka in Galle. Four Australians – Steve Smith, Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, and Matthew Hayden – have accumulated more Test runs in Asia than Khawaja.
Smith suggested the 2017 omission may have been beneficial for Khawaja, stating, "He got that opportunity to go back and figure out ways to play. Whether he would have done that had he kept playing, I’m not sure, but he went back and found some different methods to defend spin... He’s arguably one of our best players of spin now, so maybe a blessing in disguise."
Recent Team Position
Khawaja’s position in the team had been subject to scrutiny during the current summer. Back spasms led to his absence from the first Test in Perth and the Brisbane Test. He was initially not selected for the Adelaide Test but returned due to Steve Smith’s vertigo, scoring 82 runs in the first innings, which secured his place for the fourth Test in Melbourne.
Steve Smith Confirms Continued Test Career
Australian Test captain Steve Smith affirmed that he does not plan to retire from Test cricket at this time. Smith stated that his decision is influenced by the necessity for batting stability within the Australian team, particularly ahead of future significant Test tours. This clarification follows Khawaja's recent retirement and contributes to ongoing discussions concerning the regeneration of the Test squad. Smith has previously indicated a series-by-series approach to managing his career longevity. When questioned prior to the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney regarding his career plans, Smith responded with "No."