Ashes: Steve Smith backs Usman Khawaja ahead of farewell Test, says 'too many people get...'

Australia stand-in skipper Steve Smith has backed Usman Khawaja to flourish in his farewell Test as the Aussies take on England at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The fifth Test set to start on Sunday (Jan 4) will be Khawaja’s farewell Test, having announced his retirement from the game. Smith, who played with Khawaja during his junior cricket stints, appreciated the southpaw who will be stepping onto the field for one last time during the SCG Test.

Smith backs Khawaja

"He's arguably one of our best players of spin now. So maybe [it was] a blessing in disguise. But the way he's been able to play over his 15-year career… it's a credit to him and not too many people get to go out on their own terms,” Smith said on the eve of the SCG Test.

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"He hates it, but we dropped him," Smith said. "I was captain at that stage and we dropped him in the subcontinent. We didn't think he was playing the spinners as well as he does now. But he got that opportunity to go back and figure out ways to play. Whether he would have done that had he kept playing, I'm not sure. But he went back and found some different methods to defend spin. He was reversing, sweeping, and that's a mode of defence in a way when you put the field out,” added Smith.

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On Friday, an emotional Khawaja held a presser where he announced his desire to retire after the SCG Test. He was accompanied by family, including his wife and kids, when he announced the decision. The SCG contest will be his 88th and final outing in the red-ball. At 39, he remains one of the oldest players to represent Australia at the highest level while now dropping curtains on an illustrious career.