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Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has suggested that Usman Khawaja should consider announcing his retirement during the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.
Clarke believes the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Khawaja’s home venue, would be the ideal stage for the veteran batter to bid farewell to international cricket. The 38-year-old left-hander has been under scrutiny following a lackluster performance in the ongoing series against India. Despite his immense contributions to Australian cricket since his recall in 2022, Khawaja’s form has dipped, and Clarke feels this is a golden opportunity for him to step away on his own terms.
Struggles in the BGT series against India: Michael Clarke points out
Khawaja’s recent performances have fallen short of expectations. In the ongoing series against India, he has managed only 141 runs in eight innings, averaging a modest 20.14, with a solitary half-century. His struggles against India’s pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, have been particularly notable. Across 2024, Khawaja has played nine Tests, scoring 415 runs at an average of 25.93. This is a sharp decline from his stellar averages of 67.50 in 2022 and 52.60 in 2023.
Despite these challenges, Clarke lauded Khawaja’s remarkable career, particularly his ability to perform both at home and abroad. “This is Uzzie’s home Test match, the SCG. He has been an amazing player, scoring runs overseas and in Australia. At 38 years of age, I think this could be a great opportunity for Uzzie to announce his retirement and make the Sydney Test his last,” Clarke shared on the Beyond 23 Cricket Podcast.
A window for opportunity for new generation of players
Clarke emphasized the importance of planning for the future, suggesting that Khawaja’s retirement would give Australia ample time to groom a new opener ahead of the 2025-26 Ashes series at home. Australia’s search for a stable opening partner since David Warner’s retirement has been still going on. Various players, including Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney and youngster Sam Konstas, have partnered Khawaja at the top of the order. Konstas recently showed promise with a debut fifty but remains untested in challenging conditions.
“I know he would like to keep playing. His form has not been as good as he would like throughout this series. I know we have got a trip to Sri Lanka, and then we have got the Ashes. There is a lot of cricket in between, but 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,” the 43-year-old added.
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The Sydney test: Last game of Border Gavaskar Trophy
Clarke believed that retiring in front of a home crowd would be a fitting conclusion to Khawaja’s illustrious career, especially with age and form becoming key considerations. Since his recall in 2022, Khawaja has amassed 2,705 runs in 33 Tests at an average of 49.18, including seven centuries and a career-best 195*. Over his entire career, he has scored 5,592 runs at an average of 44.38, with 15 centuries and 27 fifties.
“Uzzie’s earned the right to do his own thing. But, I just thought maybe this could be the perfect time for him to finish on his own terms. In front of family and friends, Sydney Test match, what an awesome opportunity,” Clarke concluded.
As Australia prepares for the decisive fifth Test starting on January 3, they aim to seal a historic series victory over India, reclaiming the coveted trophy for the first time since 2025. For Khawaja, it could mark the end of an illustrious career at a venue where his journey began.
