- Khawaja retires after fifth Ashes Test.
- Hope to inspire youth who are “different”.
- Batter strikes out on media treatment after recent injury.
Star Aussie batter Usman Khawaja said on Friday he hoped his long Test career, which ends with his retirement after the fifth Ashes clash, inspires youngsters who are “different” that playing cricket for Australia is possible.
The top batsman, who turned 39 last month, announced on Friday that he would retire from international cricket after his 88th Test, which starts at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Khawaja made his Test debut at the same ground in the final match of the 2010-11 Ashes series and has since scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, including 16 centuries.
More than his runs, however, Khawaja was a champion of diversity in Australian cricket, having been born in Pakistan before being raised in Sydney from the age of five.
“I hope I’ve inspired a lot of kids along the way, especially those who feel like they’re different, those who feel like they don’t belong or the others tell them they’ll never make it,” Khawaja told reporters at a news 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. You just have to keep trying.
“I am a proud Muslim colored boy from Pakistan who was told he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now. You can do the same.”
Khawaja batted for most of his Test career at the top of the middle order, but lost his place in the side for the 2021–22 Ashes series to Marnus Labuschagne.
However, he was called up at the last minute when Travis Head contracted COVID ahead of the Sydney Test and revived his career with centuries in both innings.
Opening with Warner
Khawaja then stepped up to form a successful opening partnership with David Warner, who retired from Test cricket after the SCG Test two years ago.
In this Ashes series, he injured his back in the opener in Perth and missed the second Test before being initially dropped from the team for the third in Adelaide.
He was recalled again in the eleventh hour after Steve Smith had a fit of vertigo and batted at number four instead of opening, scoring 82 and 40 as Australia won by 82 runs to win the series and retain the urn.
Khawaja said his treatment by the media after the back injury in Perth was proof he was still treated differently from other players because of his background.
“The way the media and the ex-players came out and attacked me… I did it for about five days straight,” he recalled.
“It was pretty personal in terms of things like, ‘He’s not committed to the team.’ He was only concerned about himself. He played this golf tournament the day before.
“He’s selfish. He doesn’t train hard enough. He didn’t train the day before the game. He’s lazy. It’s the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life.
“I just want the journey of 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.”
