Usman Khawaja was dropped eight times across his 15-year Test career.
They all hurt at the time, but the fifth occurrence stings the most.
Khawaja was one of Australia’s most consistent players during the 2016/17 season, compiling 581 Test runs at 58.10 across six matches against Pakistan and South Africa. He cracked a century in a pink-ball contest against the Proteas, his fifth Test hundred, finishing the home summer with an unbeaten half-century at the SCG.
But the following month, Khawaja was dropped from Australia’s starting XI for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in India, sidelined in favour of all-rounder Mitchell Marsh.
Watch The Ashes 2025/26 LIVE and ad-break free during play with FOX CRICKET on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1 >
The left-hander had been omitted because the national selectors thought he was vulnerable when facing spin in the subcontinent. Before that tour, he had played four Tests in Asia, averaging 19.16 with a high score of 26.
“I’d gone through so many tough times at the start of my career, (the belief that) I couldn’t play spin in the subcontinent,” Khawaja told reporters in Sydney on Friday while announcing his Test retirement.
“I didn’t feel like I was supported, even from the coaching staff. It’s not having a crack at the coaching staff, I just didn’t feel like I was supported.
READ MORE
‘HE HATES US FOR IT’: Smith lifts lid on brutal ‘blessing in disguise’ that ignited Uzzie’s career
‘WTF ARE YOU DOING?’ Inside ‘surrender’ that shook Ashes… and Poms’ ‘mad’ celebrations
‘IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO SEE’: Stokes opens up on brutal Aussie reality, future of Bazball
“Your last test for Australia?” “Nah!” | 01:10
“So I really struggled in the subcontinent.”
Steve Smith, who was Australian captain at the time, confessed the decision didn’t sit well with Khawaja.
“We didn’t think he was playing the spinners as well as he does now,” Smith recalled while speaking to reporters at the SCG on Saturday.
He added with a smile: “He hates us for it.”
“Look at me now and you can do the same” | 00:51
Khawaja got an opportunity to rectify his underwhelming Test record in Asia the following year, picked as an opener for Australia’s two-match series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
Before the match, coach Justin Langer gave the Queenslander some words of encouragement that resonated deeply with the left-hander.
“JL is the one guy who actually gave me hope and love at that time,” Khawaja recalled.
“He said, ‘Uzzie, go out there. I believe you. I’ve seen you play spin in Australia. You can do it.’
“I’ve always loved JL for that.”
During the series opener in Dubai, Khawaja top-scored in both innings with a gritty 85 and a marathon 141, where he soaked up 302 deliveries and batted for 522 minutes.
It’s often flagged as the best performance of his Test career.
“I batted for 11 hours on literally the hottest day,” Khawaja said.
“It was the hottest place, concrete jungle. It was about 40 degrees, 80 per cent humidity in Dubai at the time.
“It was relentless, and I just had to fight for everything.”
Khawaja’s Dubai masterclass was headlined by an assortment of reverse sweeps, a stroke that was previously frowned upon. He claimed that he made the shot “part of Australian cricket”.
“Previously you played the reverse sweep, and you got out and Test cricket, and you got crucified,” he declared.
‘I hope I inspired kids along the way’ | 50:11
The 2018 series against Pakistan proved a turning point in Khawaja’s Test career. From then on, he averaged 82.77 across 13 matches in the subcontinent, cracking five hundreds, including a career-best 232 against Sri Lanka in Galla last year.
Only four Australians have accumulated more Test runs in Asia than Khawaja – Steve Smith, Ricky Ponting, Allan Border and Matthew Hayden.
“To actually show everyone that I could bat in those conditions, and then end up being one of the greatest players to be able to play in the subcontinent … it’s pretty special,” Khawaja said.
“To be from where I was, a guy who can’t play spin in the subcontinent, to having the best average out of the top five players to score most runs in the subcontinent is very special.”
Although Khawaja will never agree with his 2017 axing, Smith considered it a blessing in disguise for the Queenslander. It forced him to work out a different method for batting in the subcontinent, which undeniably paid dividends during the second half of his international career.
“He got that opportunity to go back and figure out ways to play,” Smith explained.
“Whether he would have done that had he kept playing, I’m not sure, but he went back and found some different methods to defend spin.
“He was reversing, sweeping, a mode of defence in a way when you put the field out.
“He’s arguably one of our best players of spin now, so maybe a blessing in disguise.”
Smith added with a giggle: “Shame he’s gone, now I’m the oldest one here.”
The fifth and final Ashes Test between Australia and England, Khawaja’s last international appearance, gets underway at the SCG on Sunday at 10.30am AEDT.
Discussion about this post