Usman Khawaja opens up on his "biggest challenge" while playing for Australia

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has said that his biggest challenge while playing for the national side has been trying to fit in with the squad.

Khawaja, who made his international debut in 2011, became the first Pakistan-born player to represent Australia in Test cricket. The 36-year-old is now an integral part of the team, delivering consistently since returning to the side in early 2022.

Speaking to ICC, Khawaja said:

"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 own skin."

Khawaja takes pride in being the first Pakistan-born cricketer to play for Australia.

"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 colored cricketers to ever represent Australia, so it is very proud for me."

Khawaja added that a change of attitude and mindset recently has allowed him to be himself.

"I definitely get to be myself more now. Two things. One, I don’t give a crap because I am older and I am at the backend of my career so I can do what I want. Two, these boys that I am playing with are guys that I grew up playing with. I grew up playing with a lot of them, playing for New South Wales. Starcy, Cummins, Hazlewood, Smith and Warner - all of these guys I grew up playing with so it makes it a lot easier to be myself."

With 1608 runs in 16 games at 69.91, the left-hander is the highest run-getter for Australia in the 2021-23 WTC cycle. He was also the highest run-getter in the Test series earlier this year in India with 333 runs in seven innings.

"Opening the batting with him has been very special" - Usman Khawaja on David Warner

David Warner. (Image Credits: Getty)

Khawaja also opened up on his relationship with fellow opener David Warner, saying he shares a close bond with Warner.

"I am one of the few people who can pull Davey into line. I am one of the few people that has that connection with him just to be able to talk to him man to man, person to person, and just get a little bit deeper. That is just the respect we have for each other and the love we have for each other because we have done it for a long time. Opening the batting with him has been very special."

Having scored over 9000 Test runs, Warner has recently hinted at retiring from the format, saying he could hang his boots after the Test series against Pakistan next year.