How Usman Khawaja became one of the most polarising players in the Australian cricket side with defiant political messages – as hits out at his treatment

Usman Khawaja is widely regarded as one of the most polarizing cricketers to wear the greenery and often makes headlines for his political statements.

But it is also one of the best Test openers Down Under has ever produced.

Following the 39-year-old player’s retirement announcement, commentators began to express their judgments about how his career will be remembered.

Khawaja announced that the SCG Test against England on Friday will be the last match of his international career.

It will be the end of a full circle story for Khawaja, who made his Test debut 15 years ago, in 2011, in the same territory, against the same opposition.

The Pakistan-born opener will complete his career by playing 88 Tests for his country and scoring more than 6,700 Test runs to his name.

Usman Khawaja and his wife Rachel (pictured together) got married in April 2018

The 39-year-old made twin centuries in the relevant Test match in 2022 (pictured)

However, Khawaja’s career has been filled with many controversies since his debut.

Allegations of racism within the Australian cricket association became the catalyst for him to speak out and seek to become a leading figure in the world of cricket.

Khawaja is the first Muslim and Pakistani-born player to represent Australia in a Test match.

But before that, he had experienced racism while playing cricket as a child.

‘Absolutely (I was exposed to racism at a young age). Some things can be quite rude. “Some things can be quite hurtful,” he said. 60 Minutes In 2018.

Khawaja broke new ground by playing for Australia. As a role model who does not conform to the status quo, she has been able to offer children things that were not given to her in her youth.

The stylish actor is also very vocal about his views on the conflicts in the Middle East.

In late 2023, Khawaja wrote “All lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right” on his shoes to express his support for human rights ahead of a Test match.

The 39-year-old (pictured) came under fire for using a pigeon on his cricket bat

Khawaja was sanctioned for writing a slogan on his playing shoes (pictured) in connection with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East

The Test veteran (pictured with wife Rachel and daughters Aisha and Ayla) is set to end his International career where it started

The International Cricket Council banned the slogans on the grounds that they violated political message rules.

Khawaja later wore a black armband to show his support.

But the ICC reprimanded him on this issue too.

The left-hander was also forced to remove the ‘black dove’ peace sticker from his cricket bat after the ICC rejected it as a political symbol.

His outspoken nature has been a cornerstone of who he is as a person and how the Australian public has known him throughout his career.

At his retirement press conference, he told former players and journalists about their treatment of him over the last 15 years.

‘I’ve always felt a little different until now,’ he said.

‘I am. I am a black cricketer… I also felt very different in many ways. How I was treated was different, the course of events was different.

Khawaja specifically targeted commentators for their treatment of him during the ongoing Ashes series.

‘There was something on my mind since the beginning of the series, I realized when I did my back… I hurt my back, I had spasms in my back. “It was something I couldn’t control,” he added.

‘The way the media and former players came out and attacked me… I could have done it for two days but I did it for about five days.

‘And it wasn’t even about my performances. It was a very personal thing, it was about my preparation.’

Khawaja was in and out of the team for the first four years of his International Test career.

He became a prominent member of the Australian team in late 2015.

Midway through the 2019 Ashes, fans and players thought his career was over after he was dropped from the side.

Khawaja gets one final chance in early 2022 after being named in the squad for the New Year’s Test at the SCG due to Travis Head being ruled out due to COVID.

He seized the opportunity by scoring two centuries in a brilliant comeback that sealed his place in the side as an ordinary batsman rather than a substitute.

The Pakistan-born opener has notched up a further six Test centuries since the 2022 SCG Test and was even named the 2023 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.

Despite playing only 70 Test matches as an opening batsman, Khawaja will finish his career eighth on the list of most runs as an Australian opener.

His partnership with former teammate David Warner is particularly memorable.

The duo helped Australia to a series win in Pakistan, retain trophies in Sri Lanka and England, and Australia’s first World Test Championship.