Former Australia World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke has suggested that veteran Aussie opener Usman Khawaja should retire after the ongoing fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test which is being played at the iconic SCG in Sydney. The 38-year-old left-handed batter has been going through a dismal format and apart from a single fifty-plus score, he has appeared to be way out of touch in this ongoing series.
Clarke on Khawaja
"This is Uzzie’s home Test match, the SCG. He has been an amazing player, absolutely amazing player. Come back in, score runs overseas, score runs in Australia. He is 38 years of age, I think it could be a great opportunity for Uzzie to announce his retirement, and Sydney to be his last Test," Clarke said on the Beyond 23 podcast.
"I know he would like to keep playing. His form has not been as good as he would like throughout this series. I also think that could be a great opportunity for a new player to come in, open the batting, get some Test match cricket under their belt before the first Ashes Test match," he added.
With a brilliant half-century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the fourth Test, Sam Konstas appears to be a long-term possibility for Australia at the top of the order. On the other hand, Nathan McSweeney, who participated in the first three Test matches of the series, demonstrated enough skill to be regarded as a potential Test batter in the future.
Mark Taylor on Khawaja
In agreement with Clarke, former captain Mark Taylor acknowledged that selectors may need to manage certain players into retirement.
"There’s no doubt this side isn’t going to need to recoup over the next two or three years and selectors are going to have to be tough at times because I think players are less likely to retire these days, so therefore selectors have to be a little more ruthless,” Taylor told 2GB radio on Thursday.