Australian veteran opener Usman Khawaja spoke about his struggles getting into the national team and making a name for himself in that hefty Australian team and is also happy about the fact of being the first cricketer to represent Australia being born in Pakistan. The 36-year-old is expected to vital role for the Baggy Greens in the WTC final and Ashes 2023.
The Australian Southpaw has been his team’s best batter in the current World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 cycle, as he amassed 1608 runs in 28 innings at 69.91 with six centuries to his name just behind the former England skipper Joe Root in the tally of highest run-getter, playing important role in his team qualification for WTC final.
Speaking to ICC.tv, ahead of the clash against India, Usman Khawaja revealed that the biggest challenge for him throughout his career is to get fitting in the team and keep the mindset to play for the country in the best way possible and reckons that he earned his respect in the team through his performance on the field.
“The biggest challenge for me throughout my career playing for Australia has been fitting in, For me, it is always about fitting in and feeling like I can be myself in the Australian cricket team, and that has taken a little bit of time. A little bit of that is earning the respect of my teammates by scoring runs and performing on the field, and the other side is me being myself and comfortable in my skin,” Usman Khawaja said.
Usman Khawaja made his debut for Australia in a Test match during the 2011 Ashes series, becoming the first Pakistan-born player to represent the country, but found it difficult to get a regular spot in the team, as faced many hurdles to make a mark for himself in the Australian side over last decade or so.
So It Is Very Proud For Me – Usman Khawaja On Representing Australia Being Born In Pakistan
Usman Khawaja divulged that he wanted to earn the respect of his teammates for the kind person he is, and admitted that it was a certain structural change in Australia during that time for him to get into the side and was proud of being the first cricketer from the sub-continent background to represent Australia in the highest level, which regarded one of his best accomplishment as a cricketer.
“To do what I want and for the guys in the team to understand and respect who I am as a person. That always takes a certain time when you are trying to change certain structural things around Australian cricket and for me, that has been my biggest hurdle”.
“But at the same time, it is something that I am most proud of achieving because I am the first cricketer to be born in Pakistan or to come from a sub-continent background to represent the Australian cricket team. And I am one of few coloured cricketers to ever represent Australia, so it is very proud for me,” Usman Khawaja Concluded.
Khawaja was dropped from the team during the 2019 leg of the Ashes as he managed only 122 runs in six innings, however, he earned his recall into the side with brilliant form in Sheffield Shield, as he was brought into the side for Ashes 2021, where he once again proved his worth in International Cricket scoring centuries in both innings of his home Test.