Usman Khawaja confirms international retirement after final Ashes Test

By SABC Sport
2nd January 2026

Usman Khawaja has confirmed that he will retire from international cricket after Australia's final Ashes Test against England that starts in Sydney on Sunday.

The 39-year-old top-order batter will go into his final Test with 87 caps having scored 6206 runs at an average of more than 43, that includes 16 centuries.

Speaking to reporters with his family in attendance, Khawaja said: "I've been thinking about it, not wholly, but for a while. Moving into this series, I kind of had an inkling in my head that this would be the last series.

"I talked to Rachel (Khawaja's wife) about it a fair bit, and I knew this was a big chance.

"I didn't leave the door fully shut, because I knew there was a chance I could play on. I know (coach) Andrew McDonald, even right till the very end, when I told him a few days ago, he was still thinking about how I could get to India (in 2027).

"I'm glad I get to leave on my own terms, with a little bit of dignity, and go out at the SCG where I love.

"But I think the start of the series was a pretty tough time. Then going into Adelaide and not being picked initially for the game, that was probably a sign for me to say, 'all right, it's time to move on'."

Khawaja revealed he had considered retirement at several stages in the last two years, saying that he had spoken to McDonald about finishing around the Boxing Day Test against India in the last Australian summer.

"I said to him, if, at any stage right now, if you want me to retire, I will retire straight away. I have no issue. I'm not hanging on for myself," Khawaja said.

"That was the most annoying thing, because I felt people were coming at me, and I felt they were saying I was selfish for staying on. But I wasn't staying on for myself.

"Andrew McDonald practically said, no, I want you to stay. We need you for Sri Lanka and the World Test Championship. I want you to stay on. And so I did."

Khawaja confirmed he would continue to play in the T20 Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat after his international retirement and is still hoping to play for Queesland.