Australia v West Indies: The day Usman Khawaja thought his Test career was done

Usman Khawaja is enjoying a Bradman-esque year with the bat, a stunning contrast from the player who secretly gave up on his baggy green dream a decade ago.

Next year is the 10th anniversary of the tour when Usman Khawaja secretly gave up on his baggy green dream.

Not only did he sense his Test career was over. He actually wanted it to be that way.

But once the chords of anxiety were completely cut and he stopped fretting over contracts and selections something strange happened. The very dream he turned his back on reappeared in front of him.

Life isn’t supposed to work that way. But it did.

These days Khawaja is Australia’s most relaxed cricketer and the world’s most in-form batsman who was studying for his MBA the night before posting yet another match-shaping half century for Australia at Optus Stadium against the West Indies.

It smoothly continued the stunning form surge he has conjured since his late career Test recall in Sydney this year. Had Travis Head not got Covid before the SCG Test, none of it may have happened.

Khawaja’s Perth innings of 65 followed scores of 137, 101 not out, 6, 11, 97, 160, 44 not out, 91, 104, 71, 0 not out, 37 and 29 for a Bradman-esque yearly return of 953 runs at 95.3.

Each innings seems like a continuation of the one before it - calm, calculating, unruffled to the point of looking almost nonchalant.

Usman Khawaja after reaching his half century in Perth. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty

It’s a remarkable change of fortune for a once anxiety-burdened batsman who was dropped during the 2013 Ashes and had zero desire to return.

“I came back to Queensland and I really didn’t want to play for Australia again,’’ Khawaja told News Corp.

“I just didn’t enjoy my first nine Test matches.’’

Khawaja’s batting average after nine Tests was just 25 and he’d had eight scores between 20 and 40 which means he was getting out of the blocks – then faltering.

Khawaja knew if he continued to chain his self-esteem to his cricket career he would be overwhelmed by anxiety. So he cut the anchor rope, floated downstream and welcomed all tidal forces.

“I have made a conscious effort not to let cricket dictate my happiness the last five, six or seven years.

“Since I came back into the Australia team in 2015 I have had a different take on life and cricket. My performances after 2015 are two or three times what they were after my first nine Test matches.

Usman Khawaja was dropped during the 2013 Ashes series. Picture: AFP/Andrew Yates

“In those early years, even when I was scoring runs, I wasn’t always happy so something wasn’t right. It wasn’t an easy time to be part of the Australian team. I just didn’t really feel like I belonged.

“I have worked hard to ensure my satisfaction and gratitude does not come from me scoring runs. It comes from other things. Those things are not necessarily materialistic things or cricket itself. In the past if I was scoring runs I was happy. If I wasn’t I was kind of miserable.

Since returning to Test cricket Khawaja lets the game to him rather than snatching at it.

“Being in and out and in and out of the Australian team enables you to develop a bit of resilience and learn a bit about life. You learn what you can control and what you can’t. You just enjoy the ride and realise there is going to be good and bad times.’’

Originally published as Australia v West Indies: The day Usman Khawaja thought his Test career was done