![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Khawaja has scored 6206 runs at 43.49 across 87 Tests, hitting 16 hundreds. He was named the ICC Men\u2019s Test Cricketer of the Year in 2023.<\/p>\n
The left-hander also played 40 ODIs and nine T20Is across his 15-year international career.<\/p>\n
Khawaja said he had been considering retirement for \u201ca while in some respects\u201d and had even told head coach Andrew McDonald at one point that he would call it quits if he thought that was best for the team. <\/p>\n
With that in mind, the 39-year-old said it was \u201cfrustrating\u201d to see the way commentary about his future played out in the media, adding that it at times felt like people were \u201ccoming at me\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess the most frustrating part for me was, whether it was the media or past players, particularly in the last two years were attacking me about retiring,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt like attacking. It was disappointing. I mean, I could have retired anytime in the last two years. I was happy to, there was no issue. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was still playing well, I was still motivated, but I think if I retired from international cricket, I still would be playing cricket. I\u2019d be playing Big Bash. It wasn\u2019t a motivation thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut obviously, Andrew McDonald and George Bailey saw my value at opening batting up the top. It\u2019s the hardest position in the team, and I kept putting myself out there for the team. \u201cBut even last year when we got to Melbourne and I sat down with Andrew McDonald because we always have catch ups and I said to him, \u2018If at any stage right now, if you want me to retire, I will retire straight away. I have no issue. I\u2019m not hanging on for myself\u2019. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat 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\u2019t staying on for myself. <\/p>\n
\u201cAndrew McDonald practically said, \u2018No, I want you to stay. I need you for Sri Lanka and I want you to stay on\u2019 and so I did. It was never totally about me. I\u2019m glad I did. I was the highest run scorer in Sri Lanka and got rewarded in lots of ways. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut that was probably the most frustrating thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Usman Khawaja will play one final Test for Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Khawaja, who will get a traditional SCG swansong in the final Test of the summer, went on to reveal that while he had been thinking about retirement \u201cfor a while\u201d it was initially missing out on selection in Adelaide that was the strongest \u201csign\u201d yet that his time had come.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess moving into this series, I kind of had an inkling in my head that this would be the last series,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI talked to Rachel about it a fair bit, and I knew this was a big chance. I didn\u2019t leave the door fully shut because I knew there was a chance I could play on and I knew, Andrew McDonald, even to the right to the very end when I told him a few days ago, he was still thinking about how I could get to India. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m glad I get to leave in my own terms with a little bit of dignity and go out to the SCG where I love. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think the start of the series was a pretty tough time and then going into Adelaide and then not being picked initially for that game was probably a sign for me to say, \u2018All right, it\u2019s time to move on\u2019. <\/p>\n
Todd Murphy in line for Ashes recall | 02:41<\/p>\n
\u201cI did look at the schedule before the Ashes, and I thought, \u201820 games in a small period of time with the six-month, seven-month break\u2019. I thought, \u2018There\u2019s a few \u2013 I wouldn\u2019t say easier Test matches \u2013 but Test series that aren\u2019t as scrutinised as India or the Ashes\u2019, and I thought it was a good time for transition to happen there anyway. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I was always looking forward, making sure that I left in what I felt like was the right time for me, but it was also the right time for Australian cricket. I was very aware of that, which is why I got even more frustrated when I used to get attacked in the media. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt probably solidified it at the Adelaide Test match, even though I came back and scored runs\u2026 whether I scored runs or not in that Test match, it didn\u2019t matter. Once I knew that I was like, \u2018I\u2019m 100 per cent sure I\u2019m ready to retire\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Khawaja starred in Sri Lanka. (Photo by Robert Cianflone\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Khawaja said he told McDonald of the decision before the MCG Test but had otherwise kept it from his teammates before an \u201cemotional\u201d announcement prior to Friday\u2019s press conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d get emotional but I teared up straight away and had to compose myself,\u201d Khawaja said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI finally composed myself and got out what I wanted to say, so that was much harder to say than I ever imagined it would. I never thought I\u2019d be the guy that cried when he retired. <\/p>\n
\u201cI cried straight away, so it just shows you what it means to me. I can talk about it a lot, but my journey has been different than a lot of the other cricketers in the Australian cricket team for a number of reasons. So, I think all that emotion built up.\u201d<\/p>\n
KHAWAJA\u2019S FULL OPENING STATEMENT:<\/p>\n
I lived just up the road from the SCG, on Cook Road to be exact, and I\u2019ll never forget when I was younger I saw Michael Slater drive in his red Ferrari. I couldn\u2019t believe my luck. I just saw a Test cricketer. As a boy, whose parents were barely scraping through and trying to provide for their kids in a little two-bedroom apartment, I thought one day, I\u2019m going to be a Test cricketer and one day, I can drive whatever I want. Never did I think that God would grant me such a wish. I\u2019m here to announce today that I\u2019ll be retiring from all international cricket after the SCG Test match. God through cricket has given me far more than I ever imagined. He\u2019s given me memories I\u2019ll carry forever, friendships that go well beyond the game and lessons that shaped me (into) who I am off the field. But no career belongs to one person, I obviously had a lot of help. <\/p>\n
Khawaja will retire from international cricket. (Photo by Robert Cianflone\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
To my parents who are over there \u2013 Tariq and Fozia. Thank you for your sacrifices that never made the highlights reel, the early mornings, the long drives, the belief when the results weren\u2019t there. Mum, you knew plenty of those when I used to come disappointed and sad, you always consoled me and I\u2019ll never forget that. Dad, you always said that I would play for Australia one day. Even though sometimes I didn\u2019t believe in myself, you taught me values before ambition, you taught me to be humble, always respectful, and treat everyone as equals, no matter what and that grounded me through everything that followed. I hope I repaid your sacrifice in leaving everything behind in Pakistan to come to Australia to give us kids a better ride. 88 Test matches dad, is that enough? To my brothers, Arsalan and Nauman, I want to thank you for the countless hours you spent in the nets at backyards, everything you did, even down the road here in Centennial Park, where you\u2019d give me that token five minutes bat at the end of the day. Without your time and effort, I wouldn\u2019t be here nor would I have my pull shot because all you did was bump me. But you\u2019ve always instilled to me that my journey would be tougher than the other kids and if I wanted to make it that I had to work harder than everyone else, score more runs than the rest, and make sure that I don\u2019t give them any excuse not to pick me. I\u2019ll never forget those words, and you were 100 per cent right. <\/p>\n
Broad fears England unrest post Ashes | 01:12<\/p>\n
Rachy, my beloved wife. This journey has asked more of you than it has ever asked of me, particularly since you read everything that goes on in the press. The missed moments, the long stretches apart, the pressures that come with this life and taking care of the kids on your own. You carried our family so I could chase my dream. I\u2019ll always be grateful for that and don\u2019t worry, I know how you always remind me that all my international centuries came after I met you. You truly are one of my greatest blessings in life. You changed the path of my life, and you definitely changed the path or my career. I thank Allah every day that I got to share this journey with you. I love you so much. To my kids, Aisha and Ayla, you gave me perspective and remind me of what really matters win or lose. Everything I did out there, I hope one day that you\u2019d be proud of what I achieved but also what I was like as a human. I\u2019ll continue to buy you chippies and give you lots of lollies when mum isn\u2019t looking. Don\u2019t worry, because you know I\u2019m a sucker for hugs and kisses. <\/p>\n
Khawaja hugging his daughter. (Photo by Morgan Hancock\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
To Rachel\u2019s family, including John and Michelle Rachel\u2019s parents, thank you for all your support and time spent over the last 10 years. I\u2019m truly blessed to have such a great extended family. The fact that Rachel\u2019s brother and dad both love playing golf is just a bonus and probably half the reason why I married you Rachy. But I tell you what next is going to be a bad year to be a Pro V1 because I\u2019m going to be playing lots of golf. There\u2019s nothing you guys can say about it. To Bill Anderson, my friend and mentor, thank you for believing in me before the numbers did. For your honesty, for your patience and your guidance when things weren\u2019t clear. You helped shape my career, but also my character. To my teammates, coaches and support staff \u2013 it has been a privilege sharing dressing room with you. You make the hard days manageable and the good days unforgettable. Cricket is a team game, but more than that, it\u2019s a people game, and I\u2019ve been incredibly lucky with the people I\u2019ve gotten to be around.<\/p>\n
All eyes on SCG pitch ahead of last Test | 05:59<\/p>\n
Along the way, I\u2019ve learned that not everything in life is in our control. I train my best, but then it\u2019s all up to Allah and Allah is the best a plan is. If he wasn\u2019t, I wouldn\u2019t be here right now. This game humbles you. It tests your patience, your resilience, and your character and if you\u2019re lucky, it teaches you gratitude. Even on days that it doesn\u2019t go your way, Alhamdulillah always. I hope I\u2019ve inspired many children along the way, particularly those who feel that they are different, those who feel that they don\u2019t belong or those others tell that they will never make it. I felt all these things growing up in trying to be an Australian cricketer. But seeing is believing and I\u2019m here to tell you that you can do whatever you want. You\u2019ve just got to keep trying. Never let anyone convince you that you can\u2019t, because if they do convince you, you never will. I\u2019m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan, who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now! And you can do the same. As I walk off for the last time, I do so with gratitude and peace, or as we say salaam. Grateful for the journey, the people, the lessons. Thank you for letting me live my dream and for sharing it with me<\/p>\n
Follow our live blog below for updates from Khawaja\u2019s SCG press conference. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Usman Khawaja has announced his retirement from Test cricket, revealing this week\u2019s New Year\u2019s Ashes contest at the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":347195,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[14206,114610,428,7614,134281,1721,16326,309,591,134279,8222,8216,7613,3604,7618,20438,134280,134278,14205,101,81753,1288,8046,34699,56,54,55,59371,5536],"class_list":{"0":"post-347194","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cricket","8":"tag-adelaide","9":"tag-andrew-mcdonald","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-australia-and-new-zealand","12":"tag-conference-comments","13":"tag-cricket","14":"tag-cricket-news","15":"tag-england","16":"tag-europe","17":"tag-fronts-media","18":"tag-getty-images-inc","19":"tag-melbourne","20":"tag-new-south-wales","21":"tag-northern-europe","22":"tag-oceania","23":"tag-press-conference","24":"tag-retirement-speculation","25":"tag-scg-press","26":"tag-south-australia","27":"tag-sports","28":"tag-steven-smith","29":"tag-sydney","30":"tag-the-gabba","31":"tag-training-session","32":"tag-uk","33":"tag-united-kingdom","34":"tag-unitedkingdom","35":"tag-usman-khawaja","36":"tag-victoria"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=347194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/347195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=347194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=347194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=347194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}