Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer to play his 88th and final Test at the SCG; veteran hits back at “racial stereotypes” used by former players and media.
January 2, 2026: In an emotional and defiant press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday, January 2, 2026, Usman Khawaja officially announced his retirement from international cricket. The 39-year-old opener confirmed that the fifth and final Ashes Test against England, starting January 4, will be his final outing for Australia.
Surrounded by his wife Rachel, their two daughters, and his parents, Khawaja delivered a powerful 50-minute address that went beyond his batting stats, tackling the “double standards” and racial tropes he claims have shadowed his final season.
The “Racial Stereotype” Conflict
Khawaja did not hold back against former cricketers and media pundits who questioned his commitment earlier this summer after he suffered back spasms in Perth.
- The Allegation: Critics attacked Khawaja for playing a golf tournament just before the Perth Test, calling him “selfish” and “uncommitted.”
- The Response: Khawaja slammed these narratives as age-old racial tropes. “The way everyone came at me… saying I’m ‘lazy,’ ‘selfish,’ or ‘don’t train hard enough’—these are the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life,” Khawaja said. “I thought the media and old players had moved past them, but we obviously haven’t.”
Career by the Numbers: A Statistical Legacy
Khawaja bows out as one of Australia’s most resilient and prolific modern openers.
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
| Test Cricket | 87* | 6,206 | 43.40 | 16 | 232 (vs Sri Lanka) |
| ODI Cricket | 40 | 1,554 | 42.00 | 2 | 104 |
| T20I Cricket | 9 | 241 | 26.77 | 0 | 58 |
Fact: Khawaja is currently Australia’s 15th highest run-scorer in Men’s Test history. Since his “second act” career revival at the SCG in 2022, no Australian has scored more Test runs than him.
The F1 Controversy & Hamstring “Niggle”
The retirement news comes just months after a heated public spat with Queensland Cricket.
- The Incident: In March 2025, Khawaja missed a Sheffield Shield match citing a hamstring injury but was later spotted at the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix.
- The Fallout: Queensland’s Head of Cricket, Joe Dawes, suggested Khawaja had “opted out” despite being fit. Khawaja hit back, calling the claims “categorically untrue” and proving the injury was logged in the athlete management system.
- The Sacrifice: To prove his loyalty, Khawaja reminded critics he had once left his family during a cyclone to play for the state. “I’m 39 years old, I can’t burn the candle at both ends,” he noted today, defending his need for workload management.
Representation and Impact
As the first Muslim to represent Australia in Test cricket, Khawaja’s impact on the game’s demographics is significant.
- Demographics: In a country where 3.2% of the population identifies as Muslim (2021 Census) and nearly 30% are born overseas, Khawaja remained the only person of color in the national dressing room for years.
- Advocacy: He famously clashed with the ICC recently over his attempt to wear shoes advocating for humanitarian aid in Gaza, highlighting what he called “double standards” in how religious symbols on bats (like those of Marnus Labuschagne or Nicholas Pooran) are treated.
What’s Next?
Khawaja will walk out for his final Test at the same ground where he made his debut 15 years ago. While he is retiring from international duty, he is expected to lead the Brisbane Heat in the BBL and continue his work as a qualified commercial pilot.