Khawaja full of gratitude in emotional end to Test career

As Usman Khawaja left the field for the final time as an international cricketer, he dropped to his knees.

Moments after blowing a kiss to his wife Rachel and family in the crowd, he put his forehead on the hallowed Sydney Cricket Ground turf, just shy of the painted sign in his honour which read, "Thanks Uzzy #419".

It was a solemn moment for Khawaja to reflect and show his gratitude.

Never had an Aussie Test cricketer signed off like this – a proud Muslim embracing his religion.

After back spasms in Perth ruled him out of the Brisbane Test, he wasn't selected for the third Test in Adelaide.

A lifeline came via an unwell Steve Smith, with Khawaja scoring 82 and 40 upon his recall making himself undroppable from the middle order.

On Friday, Khawaja announced he was calling it quits after his 88th Test.

Fast forward almost a week and his 159th and final innings ended by chopping a Josh Tongue delivery onto his stumps for six.

"We're not going out like that, are we?" Khawaja pondered to himself.

There would be no fairy tale finish, no winning runs or not out half-century. But at his retirement press conference, Khawaja said his fairy tale was already complete.

A low score in his final innings didn't matter. In his eyes, he'd already been blessed with an extra four years as a Test cricketer.

As 25,847 fans stood on their feet to pay tribute to the retiring star, Khawaja felt the gravity of the moment dawn on him.

"I was blowing a kiss to Rachel and the family," Khawaja said.

"And then, as I was walking off the field, it was getting more real and more real.

"(It was) just one final bit of gratitude for myself.

"I was showing that I am content. I'm finishing off.

"Thank you God, for everything you've given me.

"I'm very lucky to have played 88 Test matches, (scored) lots of runs, and I just wanted to say thank you one last time."

Yet the usually unflappable Khawaja admitted the occasion was getting to him.

The 39-year-old said it was "humbling" to receive a guard of honour from Ben Stokes' men, but even before play began on the final day he was finding it hard to regulate his emotions.

"It was weird," Khawaja reflected to cricket.com.au.

"It was a mixture between being really relaxed and being nervous. My heart rate was up, even at the start.

"I've had so many different feelings … happy and then a little bit of nerves … and then a little bit of sadness.

"It's been a whirlwind."

Khawaja's 6,229 runs places him 15th for Australian Test runs, 80 runs ahead of Neil Harvey and six runs shy of Michael Hussey.

Both those men also played their final Tests at the SCG. Harvey in 1963 and Hussey 50 years later in 2013.

Although his career spanned a decade-and-a-half, more than half his runs (3,342) came after his recall to the side for the corresponding Sydney Test four years ago.

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: Australia won by five wickets

Australia squad (fifth Test): 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