Australian batting stalwart Usman Khawaja has confirmed he will retire from international cricket following the final Test of the ongoing Ashes series at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The 39-year-old will bring down the curtain on a remarkable Test career at the venue where it both began and was reborn.
Khawaja will play his final match with 87 Test caps, 6,206 runs, and 16 centuries to his name, leaving behind a legacy defined by resilience, elegance, and late-career excellence.
Khawaja Reflects on Timing, Family, and Leaving on His Own Terms
Speaking at the SCG with his family present, Khawaja revealed the decision had been building for some time. He admitted that heading into this Ashes series, he sensed it might be his last, even though he kept the option of continuing open.
Discussions with his wife Rachel played a major role, and while head coach Andrew McDonald believed Khawaja could continue as far as the 2027 India tour, recent events helped clarify his decision. A difficult start to the series, followed by being initially left out of the Adelaide Test, proved to be a turning point.
Khawaja stressed that his choice was never about hanging on for personal milestones. Over the past two years, he had repeatedly told team management he would step aside immediately if they felt it was time. McDonald, however, consistently backed him, particularly through Sri Lanka tours and the World Test Championship cycle.
Ultimately, Khawaja said he felt grateful to retire with dignity, on his own terms, and at a ground he loves.
A Career of Comebacks, Records, and Lasting Impact
The SCG holds special significance for Khawaja. He made his Test debut there during the 2010–11 Ashes, replacing the injured Ricky Ponting, and became the first Muslim to play Test cricket for Australia. After years of inconsistency and selection setbacks, his career was revived spectacularly at the same venue in 2021–22, when he scored twin centuries against England after a surprise recall.
From that point on, Khawaja became indispensable. He moved to the top of the order, excelled in home and away conditions, and played a defining role in Australia’s return to Pakistan. Highlights included a then-career-best 195* against South Africa, leading Australia’s run charts in India, and a standout performance in the 2023 Ashes in England.
From his 2021 recall through that Ashes series, Khawaja averaged an extraordinary 60.48 across 22 Tests, scoring seven centuries. Though his form dipped slightly afterward, he still produced memorable innings, including a career-best 232 in Galle.
By the time he steps away, only six players in Test history will have scored more runs after the age of 35, underlining the uniqueness of his late-career surge.
Khawaja will continue playing domestic cricket, confirming his availability for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League and expressing hope to feature for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield later this summer.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg praised Khawaja’s on-field achievements and his off-field contributions, particularly through the Usman Khawaja Foundation, calling his impact on Australian cricket profound and lasting.
As Australia prepares for life after Khawaja, questions remain around the opening combination ahead of upcoming tours, but one thing is certain: Usman Khawaja leaves the international stage as one of Australia’s most respected and enduring modern cricketers.
