Australia coach provides telling Khawaja update ahead of SCG Test

Australia coach Andrew McDonald says Usman Khawaja will play in the final Ashes Test in Sydney but has stopped short of guaranteeing his future, saying the timing of his retirement may not be solely his decision.

A day out from the third Test in Adelaide, Khawaja’s career appeared in limbo when he was initially left out of Australia’s XI. But Steve Smith’s late withdrawal saw him parachuted back into the team.

He has contributed scores of 82, 40, 29 and 0 across Adelaide and Melbourne in the middle order.

Amid modest returns across the past two years – Khawaja has scored one Test century since the 2023 Ashes – speculation has mounted the 39-year-old could retire at the SCG in the city where he grew up.

While there has been no official announcement, McDonald said it would be up to Khawaja to let the team know of his intentions.

“With Usman, we have been really clear that we haven’t had the conversation,” McDonald said on Monday at the MCG ahead of an optional Australian training session.

“The speculation has been from the external. He’s with his family at the moment, having a couple of days off. We’ll build into Sydney, and we’re always having conversations about where players are at and speaking directly with the player.

“There’s no indication at my end that he’s calling it in Sydney, so that’ll be something that we’ll discuss, but his performance in this calendar year has been good enough to warrant selection.

“I’d say he’ll be there marking centre in Sydney.”

The complication is an eight-month gap until Australia’s next Test series against Bangladesh in August. If Khawaja does not retire next week, he may not receive a central contract early next year - a potential sign of whether he remains in Cricket Australia’s long-term plans.

Khawaja, who turned 39 this month, is the oldest specialist batsman to play Test cricket for Australia since Bob Simpson in 1977. He did not take part in the training session on Monday, like a number of other senior players. Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne were in the nets.

Asked if the decision would be entirely Khawaja’s, McDonald said: “It’s always a combination of conversations and where a team’s at. We’ve got a long time until that next Test series.

“I think he’ll come to us if he’s going to retire. There’s no doubt about that.

“If there was a series at the back-end of this, it would be a little bit different. But with the eight-month gap as a selection panel, we’ve got a lot of time to think about our next Test team should Uz push forward.”

Australia are likely to pick off-spinner Todd Murphy at the SCG for a maiden Test on home soil after going in with a four-pronged pace attack on a lively MCG pitch. It comes as Nathan Lyon was ruled out for the remainder of the domestic season following a high-grade right hamstring injury he suffered in Adelaide. His return date has not been determined.

McDonald indicated Mitchell Starc was likely to feature in Sydney, meaning Jhye Richardson could make way for Murphy.

“I’d love to pick Todd and see what he’s got to offer up,” McDonald said. “We think he’s back to his best.

“I think Jhye in a four-prong quick attack fitted in. Can he play in a three-man pace attack? That’s something we’ll have to decide.”

Cameron Green’s lean run with the bat this series and career performances in Australia will be a topic of discussion this week with World Test Championship points up for grabs. The 26-year-old has chalked up 112 runs at 18.66 across the series and averages 27.8 from 19 matches in Australia since 2020.

All-rounder Beau Webster hasn’t played a Test this summer despite high praise from Australian officials since his debut last year at the SCG.

“People are going to debate selection,” McDonald said. “They’re going to debate where Cameron is at. Beau averaged 34 and did some handy bits and bobs with the ball. We know we’ve got a quality player sitting there waiting. We’ve got a batting order that we’d like to think that can function at a higher capacity, so we’ll be having conversations heading into Sydney.

“The media – being the people in the room – always zero in on one or two and really push to potentially get a change. But when you’re 3-1 up and you’ve played pretty good cricket and you got it slightly wrong on a surface, that was tricky … what do you do? I suppose that’s the question.”

Cricket Australia also provided injury updates on Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood on Monday.

“Pat Cummins will undertake a planned period of load management to provide the optimal environment for his ongoing back recovery,” read a statement. “He will undergo scheduled imaging over the coming weeks to assess progress, in line with the management plan established prior to his return to play.

“Josh Hazlewood has recommenced running following recovery from a hamstring injury and Achilles soreness. His rehabilitation is progressing well and he remains on track to be available for the T20 World Cup.”

Australian white ball star Tim David has been ruled out of the Big Bash due to a hamstring injury but is expected to play in the T20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, England seamer Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the Sydney Test due to a hamstring injury he picked up on day two in Melbourne.

Matthew Potts, a 10-Test seamer, is expected to take Atkinson’s place in the England XI after series-ending injuries to Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.

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