Overview:
Khawaja has so far stayed silent on any plans regarding retirement, but Lee feels that finishing with a win at his home ground in the concluding Ashes Test in Sydney would provide a fitting send-off.
Australian great Brett Lee has suggested that the Sydney Test at the end of the 2025–26 Ashes could be an ideal stage for Usman Khawaja to draw the curtains on his international career. Khawaja’s recent Test numbers point to a dip in form, with the opener registering one fifty and a solitary hundred this year while scoring 614 runs in 10 matches at an average of 36.11.
After producing a marathon 232 against Sri Lanka early in the year, the left-handed batter went several months without crossing fifty again before the Adelaide Test in December. As Travis Head continues to grow into a dependable opening choice and with Khawaja nearing his 39th birthday, speculation has increased over the longevity of the Queenslander’s Test career in the baggy green.
Khawaja has so far stayed silent on any plans regarding retirement, but Lee feels that finishing with a win at his home ground in the concluding Ashes Test in Sydney would provide a fitting send-off from the international arena.
“It’s ultimately his call, but it would be a pretty special way to finish, wouldn’t it?. A home Test with the chance to make it 4–1, we’ll know more in the coming days ,” Lee said, as quoted by The Roar
“Only a few weeks back, he was and still is regarded as one of Australia’s finest batters,” Lee added.
Lee said that Khawaja is in the side due to his achievements for the Aussies over the years and has been instrumental for the Test side over the years. The legendary pacer hailed Khawaja as a role model for the younger generation.
Khawaja missed the second Test due to a back issue but retained his place after making 83 and 40 in Adelaide, keeping Josh Inglis on the sidelines. However, scores of 29 and zero at the MCG have once more raised questions over his spot in the XI.
“He’s part of the side based on everything he’s accomplished, not because of current form. He was unavailable due to a back injury, not because he was dropped. I’m not aware of what he’s dealing with in his professional career right now, but what I do know is that he has played a vital role for Australia,” Lee mentioned.
“He has been an outstanding role model for the younger generation” Lee concluded.
In 87 Test outings for Australia, Khawaja has compiled 6,206 runs at a healthy average of 43.39, with his red-ball record featuring 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries.