Former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels that the Sydney Test will be Usman Khawaja's farewell match in the longest format. The left-hand batter has featured in three out of the four Tests in the ongoing Ashes series, but has been demoted to the middle-order after Travis Head and Jake Weatherald's solid performance as the side's opening pair.
2025 hasn't been a great year for Khawaja as he has struggled for consistency and has only scored a total of 614 runs in 10 Tests, including a hundred and fifty each. The 39-year-old had also sustained back spasms for the first time in his playing career during the first Ashes Test in Perth. The injury saw him miss the second Test and even though he made a great return in the third game and recorded scores of 87 and 40 at the Adelaide Oval, his form dropped once again in Melbourne.
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Clarke believes that Khawaja will definitely be picked in Australia's playing XI for the Sydney Test, but added that the latter should consider retiring from international cricket after the match.
“I think this will be Usman’s farewell Test. I don’t think it is a token selection; they obviously picked him for Melbourne, so if they have gone that way, you pick him for Sydney as well," Clarke said while speaking to Code Sports.
“But I think he will retire after this Test. Australia will win the series. Hopefully, he goes out with a big score. I would love to see Uz make a hundred at the SCG and walk away on a high because not many people get that opportunity," he added.
Khawaja's numbers in Tests
Khawaja has so far featured in 87 Tests for Australia, scoring a total of 6206 runs including 28 fifties and 16 centuries. Though he has also made a considerable amount of apperances in white-ball cricket, the longest format is where he has performed at his best. There is a reason why he has been a regular in Australia's Test set-up for more than a decade now.
Ashes already in the bag for Australia
Meanwhile, the Baggy Greens have already taken an unassailable lead of 3-1 in the Ashes. They had won the first three Tests before ending up on the losing side at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. On the other hand, England will be looking to end the series on a high and come out victorious in the penultimate match that will be held in Sydney and will begin from January 4.