Usman Khawaja Announces Retirement from International Cricket After Final Ashes Test at Sydney

Usman Khawaja has announced that he will retire from international cricket after the fifth and final Ashes Test against England in Sydney. He has played 87 Test matches for Australia, scoring 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39. During his career, he has hit 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries. Khawaja confirmed the development in a press conference today, with the Sydney Test set to be played from Sunday (January 4).

"I've been thinking about it, not wholly, but for a while. Moving into this series, I kind of had an inkling in my head that this would be the last series," Khawaja said.

"I talked to Rachel [Khawaja's wife] about it a fair bit, and I knew this was a big chance. I didn't leave the door fully shut, because I knew there was a chance I could play on. I know [coach] Andrew McDonald even right til the very end, when I told him a few days ago, he was still thinking about how I could get to India [in 2027]," he added.

Usman Khawaja Retire from International Cricket After Final Ashes Test at Sydney

"I'm glad I get to leave on my own terms, with a little bit of dignity and go out at the SCG where I love. But I think the start of the series was a pretty tough time. Then going into Adelaide and not being picked initially for the game, that was probably a sign for me to day, all right, it's time to move on," the left-handed batter added.

Usman Khawaja also said that he thought about retiring many times during his career, including during the India series last summer.  He had also told the head coach about retiring after the Boxing Day Test against India.

"I said to him, if, at any stage right now, if you want me to retire, I will retire straight away. I have no issue. I'm not hanging on for myself. That was the most annoying thing, because I felt people were coming at me, and I felt they were saying I was selfish for staying on. But I wasn't staying on for myself. Andrew McDonald practically said, no, I want you to stay. We need you for Sri Lanka and the World Test Championship. I want you to stay on. And so I did," Khawaja said.

Usman Khawaja also said that he will keep playing in the Big Bash League (BBL) for Brisbane Heat even after retiring from international cricket.