Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has urged an out-of-form batsman to retire ahead of the fifth Ashes test against England in Sydney.
Clarke, 44, who captained Australia in tests and ODIs between 2011 and 2015, having also led the T20 side between 2007 and 2010, has suggested that the player makes the decision ahead of the end of the series, which the hosts currently lead 3-1.
The former batsman who finished his 115-test career following an Ashes series defeat to England back in 2015, is not one to mince his words – especially when it comes to the Australian team.
Despite retaining the Ashes after just three tests – in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide – not everyone wearing the baggy green cap has been in form, with just three Australian players – Travis Head, Steve Smith and Alex Carey - averaging over 40 with the bat.
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Head, who has scored 437 runs in eight innings at an average of 54.62, has been a standout in an otherwise average Australian batting line-up, while Carey, with an average of 48.50, has also played an important role in the side. Smith has averaged 45.33 with the bat.
Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja have struggled for form, with the latter averaging just 30.60 from five innings during three tests.
39-year-old Khawaja was left out of the host’s XI for the third test in Adelaide but regained his spot after Smith pulled out on the morning of the match due to vertigo-type symptoms.
Khawaja was previously ruled out of the second test in Brisbane due to a back injury before getting the late call-up in Adelaide.
Now, Clarke, who previously captained Khawaja during his early international career, has urged his former teammate to retire.
“I think this will be Usman’s farewell Test match,” Clarke told Code Sports on Tuesday (December 30).
“I don’t think it’s a token selection; they obviously picked him for Melbourne, so if they’ve gone that way, you pick him for Sydney as well.
“But I think he’ll retire after this Test match. Australia will win the series. Hopefully, he goes out with a big score. I’d love to see Uz make a hundred at the SCG and walk away on a high because not many people get that opportunity.”
Khawaja’s drop in form in 2025 has been alarming, having previously averaged over 50 in 2022 and 2023 compared to just 25.93 in 2024 and 36.11 in ten Tests so far in 2025.
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald, though, recently said there had been no sign the batsman would retire.
"The speculation has been from the external,” said the Australian coach.
“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 players. And there's no indication at my end that he's calling it in Sydney.”
The fifth and final Ashes test gets underway on January 4.
Luke Davies