Born in Islamabad, Khawaja used to be the primary Pakistan-born cricketer to play games Take a look at cricket for Australia when he made his debut in 2011.
“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,” Khawaja advised the ICC.
“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.”
The 36-year-old is a part of the Australian squad for the International Take a look at Championship ultimate towards Republic of India, initiation right here on Wednesday.
“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.
“However on the identical era, it’s one thing that I’m maximum pleased with attaining as a result of I’m the primary cricketer to be born in Pakistan or to come back from a sub-continent background to constitute the Australian cricket group.
“And I am one of few coloured cricketers to ever represent Australia, so it is very proud for me.”
The prolific opener, who has accumulated 4495 runs from 60 Checks, is an integral a part of the Australian Take a look at group however the southpaw have been dropped put up the 2019 away Ashes line regardless of some just right rankings.
Nearest scoring runs within the Sheffield Defend, Khawaja made a comeback into the Take a look at facet for 2021 Ashes, and scored centuries in each innings within the Sydney Take a look at.
“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 (Mitchell Starc), (Pat) Cummins, (Josh) Hazlewood, (Steve) Smith and (David) Warner – all of those guys I grew up enjoying with so it makes it a bundle more uncomplicated to be myself. Even if I got here into Australian cricket I used to be the younger fella from a sub-continent background entering an overly white Australian cricket group.
“I found it very tough to fit into the mould. And there was a mould for Australian cricket at that time and that mould is not really there anymore.”
Khawaja’s superb run performed a abundance position in Australia qualifying for the maiden WTC ultimate.
“Hopefully, slowly, I can be the first of many Usman Khawaja’s – both male and female – who come into the system who aren’t born in Australia and traditionally aren’t white Anglo Saxons,” he mentioned.
“That is the reason I feel most comfortable now. One because I am a little older and comfortable with myself, but two also the guys in the team and around me make me feel more comfortable than I have ever been.”
