Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has backed veteran opener Usman Khawaja to continue his international cricket career for at least a few more years, despite Khawaja nearing his 38th birthday. Paine, who has followed Khawaja’s career closely, has dismissed any speculation of imminent retirement, pointing to the left-hander’s form, resilience, and exceptional record as evidence of his ongoing value to the Australian side.
Since moving to the top of the order at the end of the 2021-22 Ashes series, Khawaja has averaged a remarkable 54.04, becoming a steady and reliable presence for Australia. Paine, speaking on SEN Tassie, was quick to emphasize Khawaja’s strong performances, describing the discussion around his age as unnecessary.
“I can’t believe we’re even talking about this,” Paine remarked. “With his age, especially as a batter, it’s just a number. He’s been nearly the best player in the world as an opening batter for the last two years. He doesn’t look like he’s lost any of his reflexes, his eyes are sharp, and he’s batting as well as he ever has.”
Paine firmly believes that Khawaja can continue to deliver at the elite level, potentially for another year or two, and sees no pressing need for the veteran to step down. However, he acknowledged that unforeseen circumstances—such as injuries or dips in form—might lead Australia to consider a successor. In that scenario, Paine believes that Australian cricket is well-prepared, with a rising talent pipeline ready to fill the void.
Highlighting one standout talent, Paine pointed to 19-year-old New South Wales sensation Sam Konstas as a potential long-term successor to Khawaja. Konstas has already shown great promise in the Sheffield Shield, impressing with his maturity and technical prowess, which Paine feels could make him an ideal fit for the Test opener’s role when the time comes.
“If something were to happen in the short-term, I think we’ve got our answer,” Paine said, speaking highly of Konstas’ capability to meet high-level cricket demands. “Out of the four guys playing right now, I think they would lean toward Sam Konstas. He’s played a few shots that show he’s going to be a gun; you can tell he’s ready for big moments.”
The former captain added that the timing seems to be working out well for Konstas, giving him enough time to develop before Khawaja eventually decides to retire. “The timing looks to be aligning for him to replace Usman when he calls time. But hopefully, Usman has a clean bill of health during the summer because he’s going to be really important for us,” Paine noted.
