Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja has confirmed that the fifth Test of the 2025-26 Ashes in Sydney will be the final match of his international career. Australia captain Pat Cummins and former India opener Shikhar Dhawan wished Khawaja all the best ahead of his final match at the national level.
Khawaja made his Test debut in 2011 and played 87 matches. He scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, which included 16 centuries. Khawaja played a key role in Australia’s success in the longest format. He was part of the team that won the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2023 and later reached the final again.
Pat Cummins and Shikhar Dhawan wish Usman Khawaja all the best for his final international match
The fifth Test to be held in Sydney will be Usman Khawaja’s last match in international cricket. It is worth noting that this match is special for him because he made his Test debut against England on this very ground in 2011.
Khawaja moved to Australia from Islamabad as a child and became the country’s first Pakistan-born and first Muslim international cricketer.
Pat Cummins wished him all the best and hoped for a big final score at home. Shikhar Dhawan also appreciated Khawaja’s visit and extended his good wishes ahead of the farewell match in Sydney.
“Congratulations on an incredible career, buddy. Another home century to go,” Cummins posted on his Instagram Story.
“What a journey, @uj_khawaja. All the best for the last Test in Sydney and everything that comes next,” Dhawan tweeted on Friday morning.
what a trip, @Uz_KhwajaAll the best for the last Test in Sydney and everything that comes next
– Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) 2 January 2026
Usman Khawaja’s performance in the challenging Ashes 2025-26 series
Usman Khawaja became Australia’s only Asian first-class cricketer. He later set up a foundation to support youth from refugee, immigrant, indigenous and disadvantaged backgrounds through cricket and education.
Khawaja has scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39 with 16 centuries, including a career best of 232 against Sri Lanka last year. However, the left-handed batsman has not scored a century since then. The current Ashes series has been difficult for him and has brought additional pressure.
He injured his back in the Perth Test and missed the next match in Brisbane. The batsman was also left out in Adelaide but returned when Steve Smith fell ill before the toss. Batting at number four, Khawaja scored 82 and 40 but then scored 29 and 0 in the Melbourne Test.
Australia faces uncertainty at the top of the order
Australia has no clear succession plan at the top. A similar situation played out a few years ago when David Warner retired from home, and despite having time to prepare, Australia struggled to manage the transition smoothly.
Steve Smith was pushed up the order with little success, while younger options such as Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney were not given extended runs. Marnus Labuschagne tried to open for a while, which increased the volatility.
With the retirement of Usman Khawaja, Australia has lost its most consistent opener. The team will now have to decide whether to make Travis Head a permanent opener and strengthen the middle order, or turn completely to domestic cricket to create a fresh opening pair.
Also read: Australian squad announced for the fifth Test against England in The Ashes 2025-26; steve smith will lead