Former Australian captain Michael Clarke said that the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia could be a “great opportunity” for veteran opener Usman Khawaja to announce his retirement at his home venue. Usman Khawaja, who has been delivering great returns as a Test opener since his recall in 2022, has not been at his best this year.
Usman Khawaja’s longtime opening partner David Warner hung up his boots earlier this year, and now although there is nothing concrete on Usman Khawaja calling time on his career, the former skipper feels the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a perfect chance to play the last game at his home venue.
With the series 2-1 in favour of the Aussies, the hosts will be heading for the New Year’s Test at Sydney to secure the series and win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014.
Usman Khawaja’s test career in short and a lean patch as opener in BGT 2024-25
Usman Khawaja, who had great returns as a Test opener since his recall in 2022, has not been at his best this year, averaging just 25.93 in 2024 after averaging 67.50 and 52.60 during the last two calendar years. In nine Tests, the left-handed batter has scored just 415 runs in 18 innings, with two half-centuries and best score of 75.
In four Tests during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he has scored just 141 runs in eight innings at an average of 20.14, with one half-century and best score of 57. Since his comeback to the side in 2022, Khawaja has scored 2,705 runs in 33 Tests and 62 innings, averaging 49.18, with seven centuries and 13 fifties and best score of 195*.
Clarke hailed Khawaja’s contributions at home and abroad, but felt with age catching up, the seasoned opener has a great opportunity to bow out of international cricket at the SCG.
Michael Clarke calls for Australian batter Usman Khawaja to retire after BGT 2024-25 5th Test in Sydney
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has opined that the upcoming fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 is the ideal opportunity for Usman Khawaja to announce his international retirement. The red-ball veteran recently turned 38 and has been under pressure following a relatively mediocre series against India.
Usman Khawaja was the steady figure at the top of the order while Australia looked for David Warner’s replacement. The likes of Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney, and Sam Konstas have all opened alongside the left-handed batter this year, with a long-term solution yet to be found.
Usman Khawaja has struggled against Jasprit Bumrah in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series. He has recorded 141 runs in eight innings at an average of 20.14 and a strike rate of 43.79.
Michael Clarke believes if Usman Khawaja steps away at the end of the ongoing series, it will give Australia ample time to groom a new opening batter for the 2025-26 Ashes series at home.
“This is Uzzie’s home Test match, the SCG. He has been an amazing player, absolute amazing player. Come back in, score runs overseas, score runs in Australia. He’s 38 years of age, I think it could be a great opportunity for Uzzie to announce his retirement, and Sydney be his last Test,” Clarke said on Beyond 23 Cricket Podcast.
“I know he would like to keep playing. His form has not been as good as he would like throughout this series. I know we’ve got a trip to Sri Lanka, and then we’ve got the Ashes. There’s a lot of cricket in between, but I also think that could be a great opportunity for a new player to come in, open the batting, get some Test match cricket under their belt before the first Ashes Test match,” Clarke continued.
Clarke maintained that Usman Khawaja has earned the right to make his own decisions instead of being forced or phased out.
“Uzzie’s earned the right to do his own thing. But, I just thought maybe this could be the perfect time for him to finish on his own terms. In front of family and friends, Sydney Test match, what an awesome opportunity,” he concluded.
Khawaja’s former opening partner David Warner had opted the route that Clarke suggested. The left-handed batter chose to retire in front of his family at his home ground at the end of Australia’s home series against Pakistan in the 2023-24 home season.
“I’d like to play another Ashes” – Australia opening batter Usman Khawaja
Despite pressure mounting on the veteran, he has maintained that he would like to play the home Ashes series before retiring. He played a pivotal role in Australia winning the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC), with his valuable contributions in the subcontinent standing out.
“I think everything’s got an end, there’s an expiry date on everything, and when you hold on too tight you stop focusing on the things that matter. I’m still out there, I’m trying to score as many runs as I can, trying to put my team in the best positions to win games, and I don’t want to be thinking, ‘I want to play for Australia for this many games, that many games,” Khawaja had said in an interview with the Wide World of Sports in November 2024 (via nine.com.au).
“I don’t really think about that and I don’t know when it’s going to be. It could be in one game’s time, it could be in three years’ time. I don’t want to look too far ahead but I’d like to play another Ashes,” he added.
Usman Khawaja showed glimpses of his best self on a good batting track at the MCG during the recently concluded Boxing Day Test. He scored a fifty in the first innings, with Sam Konstas at the other end taking care of the run flow. Coming back to Usman Khawaja, the veteran has scored 2705 runs in 33 Tests and 62 innings, averaging 49.18, with seven centuries and 13 fifties and best score of 195* since his comeback to the side in 2022.
Overall, the southpaw has amassed 5592 runs in 139 innings, at an average of 44.38 with 15 hundreds and 27 fifties to his name. With the series 2-1 in favour of the home side, Pat Cummins and Co will be heading for the New Year’s Test at Sydney to secure the series and win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014.