logo
WTC Final: Usman Khawaja addresses retirement plans; clears air around Australia's opening conundrum

WTC Final: Usman Khawaja addresses retirement plans; clears air around Australia's opening conundrum

Time of Indiaa day ago

Usman Khawaja of Australia during a nets session at Lord's Cricket Ground on June 08, 2025 in London, England (Image via)
Australian opener
Usman Khawaja
, 38, discussed his retirement plans ahead of the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's on Wednesday. The veteran batsman, who has scored the most runs (1,422) for Australia in the ongoing WTC cycle, has taken on increased responsibility at the top of the order following David Warner's retirement in January last year.
His consistent performance has been crucial for the Australian team during this period.
Khawaja emphasized that he will retire gracefully when the time comes while maintaining that age is irrelevant as long as he continues to perform and enjoy the game.
"To me, age is irrelevant. If I'm still enjoying my game, still training really hard, I'm still scoring runs, still contributing to the team where I can, I've still got the hunger.
I don't really think of anything as different, but I'm very open," Khawaja told ICC Digital at Lord's.
"I'm really just enjoying my cricket at the moment. Everything that has a beginning has an end. I don't know when that end will be, but for me it's all about staying in the moment, enjoying it one Test match at a time, one series at a time. And when it's time to hang up the boots, I'll gracefully do that, whatever it be," he added.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Keep Your Home Efficient with This Plug-In
elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill
Learn More
Undo
Bombay Sport Exchange Ep. 6: Harish Thawani on cricket's TV market and the watershed moments
Australia has experimented with various opening partners for Khawaja since Warner's departure, including Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Travis Head, and Sam Konstas. There are speculations that Marnus Labuschagne might be promoted from his number three position to open alongside Khawaja in the final.
Konstas, who performed impressively against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is also training with the squad in London and remains a potential candidate for the opening position.
Poll
Who do you think should open alongside Usman Khawaja in the WTC final?
Marnus Labuschagne
Travis Head
Sam Konstas
Khawaja remains focused on his own game despite the uncertainty surrounding his opening partner. When asked if the lack of clarity affects his mindset, he responded: "Not really, to be honest. Opening is so tough. I'm worried about how the ball is going to bowl to me and what I need to do. The opposite, whoever's opening with me is thinking exactly the same. Then we're kind of in the middle working together on how we're going to blunt out this attack.
"
"It doesn't really change my game too much. If anything, the change was probably a little bit quieter without Davey. But for me, it's just about what I need to do for my team and then where I need to work with my partner while I'm out there," he concluded.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Australia favourites to win: Monty Panesar drops massive prediction for WTC final, sends
Australia favourites to win: Monty Panesar drops massive prediction for WTC final, sends

India Gazette

time38 minutes ago

  • India Gazette

Australia favourites to win: Monty Panesar drops massive prediction for WTC final, sends

New Delhi [India], June 10 (ANI): Former England spinner Monty Panesar has declared Australia as 'favourites' to defend the World Test Championship mace. While looking from the perspective of South Africa, Panesar feels the Proteas have a 'great opportunity' to prove that they can take on the 'best in the world'. Australia, the defending champions, will square off against South Africa on Wednesday at the 'Home of Cricket', Lord's, for the prized WTC mace. The Baggy Greens have been deemed the on-paper favourites by fans and former cricketers across the world, citing the experience factor to play in their favour. Josh Hazlewood's return from injury has bolstered their pace troika and offered them a mental advantage. The 34-year-old seasoned seamer, who is fresh from his trophy-winning stint with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL, has never lost a final he has featured in. 'Well, I think Australia have an advantage with Josh Hazlewood, who has never lost a final. It is that experience. Australia look very strong in the seam department and batting as well. Australia look favourites to win this,' Panesar told ANI. On the other hand, South Africa's decades of agony stemming from their shortcomings in lifting the ICC title could finally come to a sweet end in the upcoming WTC final. The Proteas stood a whisker away from ending their torment but floundered in the T20 World Cup final against India last year. With seven victories on the trot, South Africa finds itself in a position with one more shot at silverware. After getting another shot at ending their trophy drought, South Africa has been surrounded by criticism during the build-up to the high-stakes final. Many have pointed out the fact that South Africa finished at the top and qualified for the final after playing just 12 fixtures to fight for the WTC mace. For Panesar, the current setting offers an opportunity for South Africa to prove its mettle by challenging Australia to win the title. 'I want South Africa to come out and challenge. They have often talked about how South Africa got into the final; they have had an easy ride. This is a great opportunity for South Africa to showcase that they can take on the best in the world. If South Africa wins this, I want to see them playing more Test matches, that's what we need,' he added. South Africa squad: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy. Australia squad: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett. (ANI)

Gill in good touch, Sai was compact: Arshdeep opens up about India's preparations, reveals
Gill in good touch, Sai was compact: Arshdeep opens up about India's preparations, reveals

India Gazette

time38 minutes ago

  • India Gazette

Gill in good touch, Sai was compact: Arshdeep opens up about India's preparations, reveals

Kent [UK], June 10 (ANI): Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh offered some valuable insights about India's training session before the five high-stakes Tests in England, scheduled to kick off at Headingley on June 20. Arshdeep has been infused into India's Test squad ahead of Harshit Rana and Mohammed Shami for India's first assignment of the new World Test Championship cycle. The left-armer, who has formed a revamped bowling quartet alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj, has been testing India batters during the nets session while trying to find his rhythm. During the recent session, he bowled against the newly crowned Test captain, Shubman Gill, and young Sai Sudharsan, a challenge he relished and hopes to continue with for a long time. 'There was a lot of competitiveness with the batters. We enjoyed it. As bowlers, we had to grind and make proper plans to get the batter out. Sai, who has joined the team for the first time, looked compact. The skipper looked in good touch. I will try the banter keeps on going, and I dismiss them a lot of times,' Arshdeep said in a video posted by the BCCI. For the 26-year-old, the motive was to bring the body back to rhythm according to the demands of the Test format after an elongated patch in white-ball cricket. 'The main motive was to bring the body to rhythm. To get a feel of how the red ball was coming out of the hand, because a lot of players were playing white-ball cricket for a long time. As we go ahead, the intensity will increase, and we will try to make it hard for batters to face the ball,' he added. A sense of familiarity surrounds Arshdeep, considering his past exploits in the County Championship. After a 17-wicket campaign in the IPL 2023, he signed for Kent and scalped 13 wickets from five matches at 41.76. With the backdrop of his past stint, Arsdeep is in line to earn his maiden cap and bowl alongside the current 'best in the world', Jasprit Bumrah. While the feeling of being the best continues to exist within him, Arsdeep doesn't want to stray away from the main objective: improving each other's skills. 'Whenever I pick up the ball, I feel I am the best. But when a player like Jasprit Bumrah plays in an attack, there is no room for comparison. The main focus is improving each other's skill set and helping the team,' he said. India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)

'True icon, legend of the game': Suresh Raina congratulates Dhoni for 'well-deserved' induction into ICC Hall of Fame
'True icon, legend of the game': Suresh Raina congratulates Dhoni for 'well-deserved' induction into ICC Hall of Fame

Time of India

time41 minutes ago

  • Time of India

'True icon, legend of the game': Suresh Raina congratulates Dhoni for 'well-deserved' induction into ICC Hall of Fame

Former India cricketer Suresh Raina penned a special note for his long-time compatriot and friend MS Dhoni for being inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. The two-time World Cup-winning captain became the 11th Indian to be inducted into the special club during a ceremony in London on Monday. For Raina, Dhoni's entry into the illustrious Hall of Fame was "well-deserved", considering his "indelible" mark on cricket with his calm and composed demeanour and leaving behind a legacy that will inspire the next generation. "The Legend Enters the Hall! @mahi7781 incredible career & contributions to cricket have earned him a well-deserved spot in the Hall of Fame. From electrifying finishes to game-changing leadership, Dhoni bhai has left an indelible mark on the sport. His calm demeanour, razor-sharp instincts & unwavering commitment have inspired millions. A true icon & legend of the game, his legacy will continue to inspire generations of cricketers," Raina wrote on Instagram. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Wer ein Haus in Nordrhein-westfalen besitzt sollte ab Mai diesen "Verkaufs-Trick" kennen Das Immobilienportal Mehr erfahren Undo The ICC Hall of Fame celebrates the extraordinary achievements of cricketing legends who have shaped the sport's rich and vibrant history. Players are eligible for induction only five years after their final international appearance. From lifting India's first T20 World Cup in 2007 with a young, untested squad, to guiding the Men in Blue to a historic 2011 ODI World Cup win at home, and adding the Champions Trophy in 2013, Dhoni remains the only captain in cricket history to win all three ICC white-ball trophies . His leadership calmed the chaos, turning pressure into opportunity and dreams into triumphs. Live Events Beyond captaincy, Dhoni redefined the role of a finisher in ODIs. His unbeaten 183* against Sri Lanka in 2005 remains the highest score by a wicketkeeper in the format. With over 10,000 ODI runs at an astonishing average of 50.57, his legacy with the bat is as impactful as it is enduring. Behind the stumps, Dhoni was a phenomenon. His lightning-fast stumpings and razor-sharp anticipation revolutionised wicketkeeping in limited-overs cricket. Overall, he boasts 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India. Dhoni's numbers reflect not just excellence but extraordinary consistency, fitness and longevity.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store