Pat Cummins makes call on Usman Khawaja's Test retirement after claim from Michael Clarke

Pat Cummins has poured cold water over calls from the likes of Michael Clarke that Usman Khawaja should retire, with the Aussie captain insisting his teammate is batting as good as ever. And Cummins says as long as the veteran opener is still making runs then his dream of playing in the Ashes series later this year is very much still alive.

Pressure has been steadily mounting on Khawaja's place at the top of the order for Australia, with his last Test century coming way back in June 2023 during the first Test of the Ashes series in England. The veteran has completed 31 innings without another ton but proved that he's far from a spent force in red-ball cricket with some crucial knocks in Australia's Border-Gavasksar series victory over India.

Khawaja let his bat do the talking with a match-defining knock of 41 to guide Australia to a historic series victory in Sydney. It was a lively pitch at the SCG that had seen a flurry of wickets fall across the opening two days but Khawaja navigated the tricky 162-run chase with class, as his 41 off 45 balls set the platform for Beau Webster (39 not out) and Travis Head (34 not out) to close out victory.

However, Khawaja often failed to go on with his good starts and only passed 50 once during the five-Test series against India. That's largely down to the extraordinary bowling of Jasprit Bumrah though, with the Indian spearhead dismissing Khawaja six times across the series and generally terrorising the Aussie batters in one of the finest performances from a touring bowler in Australia.

Pat Cummins throws backing behind Usman Khawaja

"It literally doesn't get any harder than opening the batting on these pitches against a quality bowling attack. It's the hardest job in cricket," Cummins said about Khawaja. "I thought he looked really good at times. Sometimes he got some really good balls. He looks like he's batting as well as any other time."

And Cummins says there's no reason why Khawaja won't still be opening for Australia next summer, when the five-Test Ashes series gets underway. Australia have a two-Test tour of Sri Lanka beginning later this month, a World Test Championship final in June and three Tests in the Caribbean before England's arrival and the Aussie skipper says age is not a factor as long as Khawaja is scoring runs.

"He didn't get the runs he would have liked but then you get (the SCG) innings where he shows his maturity and experience is so valuable," Cummins said. "He always says age is just a number. Took some good catches in the field as well, still moving alright. There's no end date from our end. As long as he's still scoring some runs."

Michael Clarke suggests Usman Khawaja should retire

Cummins' defence of his opener comes after former Test captain Clarke called for Khawaja to retire after the Sydney Test and for the Aussies to start planning for the future. Clarke alluded to Khawaja's long century drought and Sam Konstas' impressive beginning to his Test career as evidence it was time for Australia to blood some new talent before the Ashes series next summer.

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"This is Uzzie's home Test match, the SCG," Clarke said. "He has been an amazing player, absolutely amazing player. Come back in, score runs overseas, score runs in Australia. He is 38 years of age, I think it could be a great opportunity for Uzzie to announce his retirement, and Sydney to be his last Test.

"I know he would like to keep playing. His form has not been as good as he would like throughout this series. I know we have got a trip to Sri Lanka, and then we have got the Ashes. There is a lot of cricket in between, but I also think that could be a great opportunity for a new player to come in, open the batting, get some Test match cricket under their belt before the first Ashes Test match."

Khawaja is a quality player of spin and his experience will be vital for the Aussies in Sri Lanka, meaning he'll almost certainly play the first Test in Galle on January 29. With Cummins likely to miss the tour for the birth of his second child, Khawaja's experience playing in the sub-continent will be even more crucial, especially for the likes of opening partner Konstas. The rookie's spot is in some doubt, however, with reports the Aussies could open with Travis Head in Sri Lanka and bring one of Peter Handscomb or Josh Inglis into the middle order.

with AAP