A forthright Usman Khawaja says he is still fighting prejudicial stereotypes in his final summer as an Australian cricketer with the retiring batter suggesting there were racial overtones to the criticism he received on his preparation for the Ashes series opener.
In an impassioned, almost hour-long address to media two days out from the Sydney Test that will mark his international farewell, Khawaja revealed he raised the prospect of hanging up his boots as early as last summer’s India series before ultimately deciding his time was up during last month’s Adelaide Test when Australia clinched the Ashes.
But, speaking in the bowels of the SCG to reporters with his extended family also watching on, Khawaja saved his strongest words for those who questioned how he approached the lead-in to the Perth Test.
Some had drawn a link between Khawaja playing golf on multiple days before the first Test against England and the back spasms which prevented him from opening in both innings. The injury’s after-effects then also kept him out of the second Test in Brisbane.
The Islamabad-born 39-year-old, Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer whose family emigrated to Sydney when he was a child, said the commentary underlined the lingering effects of racism that still pervade the game.
“I had back spasms, and it was something I couldn’t control. The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me … I could have copped it for two days, but I copped her for about five days straight,” said Khawaja, who added his wife Rachel had been the most angered by the criticism.
“It wasn’t even about my performances. It was quite personal in terms of things like ‘he’s not committed to the team, he was only worried about himself, he played this golf comp the day before, he’s selfish, he doesn’t train hard enough, he didn’t train the day before the game, he’s lazy’.
“These are the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life.
“We obviously haven’t fully moved passed them, because I’ve never seen anyone been treated like that in the Australian cricket team before … not for the uncontrollables the way you guys went at me.
“There’s still a little bit out there, which I still have to fight every single day, which is the frustrating thing for me.
“I can give you countless number of guys who have played golf the day before (a Test) and been injured and you guys haven’t said a thing.
“I can give you even more guys who have had 15 schooners the night before and then gotten injured, no one said a word. That’s all right – they’re just being Aussie larrikins, right? They’re just being lads.
“But when I get injured, everyone went at my credibility and who I am as a person. So for me, that was the frustrating part.”
By the third Test in Adelaide, where Khawaja was initially left out of the side before his eleventh-hour inclusion when Steve Smith was ruled out with injury, the veteran knew his time was up even as his 82 and 40 proved telling in Australia sealing a series victory.
His sharp reply on his Perth preparation was followed by his heartfelt message about how cricket can become be more welcoming, as he detailed the racial vilification he experienced coming through junior pathway programs he has labelled “white dominated”.
He has also accepted he has become a lightning rod for criticism having spoken his mind on political issues, most notably courting attention two summers ago when his attempt to wear shoes with the words “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” written on them was blocked by the ICC.
Khawaja was a key figure in helping to shape Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Action Plan, launched in 2023. He says cricket is a more welcoming sport in Australia than what it was.
“There’s still a bit to go, but the sport is definitely in a better spot,” he said.
“There’s still challenges. If you look at Australia … it’s such a multicultural community. If you look at the amount of participation we have in cricket, subcontinental players particularly, but we don’t see that always in Australia.
“I get it – the Australian cricket team is hard to make. There’s 11 spots. It’s not easy, and we don’t want to just gift people spots. There’s still an undertone here and there. There’s still challenges to be faced.
“What I’m hoping is the journey for the next Usman Khawaja is a little bit easier, and then we get to a point in however many generations that that (the journey) for (an) Usman Khawaja is the same as (it is for a) John Smith.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to achieve with Cricket Australia behind the scenes. We’re not quite there yet but we’re a lot better than we were 15 years ago, trust me.”
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg largely concurred with Khawaja’s assessment of the current landscape.
“As a sport, we’ve got work to do, and I think as community, we’ve got work to do. But I think we’re on the right path, and I think Usman has played an enormous part in making sure that we’re better as a sport now than when he first started,” said Greenberg.
“I have enormous regard for him personally – I think he’s a brilliant cricketer – but I’ve got enormous regard for the way he lives his life … He won’t be lost to cricket. He’s helped shape cricket in a better way.
“Lots of players leave great legacies. Usman leaves a legacy that is far deeper than his on-field contribution. He leaves a legacy off the field, and I hope to see him continue to contribute that way beyond his playing career.”
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Second Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Third Test: Australia won by 82 runs
Fourth Test: England won by four wickets
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT
Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue
