“There’s going to have to be a time to leave the game” - Australia batter speaks about retirement plans ahead of SL vs AUS 2025 Tests

Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja acknowledges that there will come a time in his career to leave the game. However, Khawaja, 38, revealed that he still feels at his best and wants to keep the Test team at the top.

The left-handed batter turned 38 during the recent five-Test series against India at home. However, the veteran struggled in the series, albeit in challenging conditions as he registered only one half-century in ten innings, averaging 20.44.

Speaking on SEN Mornings, Khawaja said he is taking one series at a time but also knows he is on the wrong side of the 30s.

"I’m just taking it series by series. I still feel like I’m contributing, we're winning games, we’ve been the world's number one team for about three years now. We've got a very solid team in terms of bowlers, batsmen and Alex Carey behind the stumps, so I’m not looking too far ahead, it’s each series at a time. But I'm also mindful that nothing lasts forever at some stage there's going to have to be a time to leave the game, and I respect that."

The southpaw lost his wicket to right-arm speedster Jasprit Bumrah six times in nine innings in the series. In one of the post-series conversations, Khawaja referred to Bumrah as the toughest bowler he ever faced.

"I'm here to contribute and play for the Australian cricket team and do well" - Usman Khawaja

Usman Khawaja. (Image Credits: Getty)

Khawaja also said he is consistently communicating with the selectors and management about his future with the national team, adding:

"I'm always in constant communication with the coach and George Bailey and I'm here to contribute and play for the Australian cricket team and do well. Either whenever that time is when I pull the pin or I feel like it's time to time to look at the next goal whenever that may be (I’ll do that). I don't feel like it's right now, but I'm very open to that. But at the moment, I'm just enjoying my cricket and playing for Australia."

Khawaja is currently gearing up for Australia's tour of Sri Lanka where the former will play two Tests.