Usman Khawaja hopes his long Test journey will inspire young players who feel different. He believes his story shows that playing cricket for Australia is possible for everyone.
The left hand batter will retire after the fifth Ashes Test. That match will be his 88th Test. It will begin on Sunday at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He made his Test debut at the same venue in the 2010–11 Ashes series.
Khawaja turned 39 last month. He ends his career with 6,206 Test runs. He scored them at an average of 43.39. He also hit 16 centuries.
His impact went beyond runs. Khawaja became a symbol of diversity in Australian cricket. He was born in Pakistan and moved to Sydney at the age of five.
“I hope I’ve inspired many children along the way, particularly those who feel that they are different, those who feel that they don’t belong, or those others tell that they will never make it,” Khawaja told reporters at a press conference.
“I felt all these things growing up and trying to be an Australian cricketer, but seeing is believing. And I’m here to tell you that you can do whatever you want. Just got to keep trying.
“I’m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now. You can do the same.”
For most of his career, Khawaja batted in the top middle order. He lost his place during the 2021–22 Ashes series to Marnus Labuschagne. Later, Travis Head tested positive for COVID before the Sydney Test. Khawaja returned at the last moment and scored centuries in both innings.
That comeback changed his career again. He moved up to open the batting with David Warner. The pair formed a strong partnership. Warner retired from Test cricket after the SCG Test two years ago.
In the current Ashes series, Khawaja injured his back in Perth. He missed the second Test. The team left him out for the third Test in Adelaide. Once more, he returned late after Steve Smith suffered vertigo.
This time, Khawaja batted at number four. He scored 82 and 40. Australia won the match by 82 runs. The victory sealed the series and retained the urn.
Khawaja said the reaction after his back injury showed unequal treatment. He felt the criticism linked to his background.
“The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me … I copped it for about five days straight,” he recalled.
“It was quite personal in terms of things like, ‘he’s not committed to the team. He was only worried about himself. He played this golf comp the day before.
“He’s selfish. He doesn’t train hard enough. He didn’t train the day before the game. He’s lazy’. These are the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life.
“I just want the journey for the next Usman Khawaja to be different,” he added. “I want you to treat him the same, not have racial stereotypes of who they might be.”
