The biggest challenge for me throughout my career playing for Australia has been fitting in: Usman Khawaja

Australia opener Usman Khawaja has opened up about the difficulties he had fitting into the Australian squad and the mark that he desired to create, having been born in another nation. Additionally, Khawaja considers the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against India as the perfect chance to advance his career to the next level.

Khawaja, who was born in Islamabad, Pakistan, made his Test cricket debut for Australia at the beginning of 2011 and became the first Pakistan-born player to do so. But Khawaja's struggles didn't end there; he still had a long way to go before getting accepted by his teammates and earning their respect.

Khawaja confessed that finding his place and feeling comfortable with the Australian cricket team has been his biggest career challenge. It required him to stay genuine to himself and gain the respect of his teammates through his on-field performances.

He overcame the challenge and takes pride in being a cricketer born in Pakistan or another sub-continental region to play for Australia. 

"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. 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," Khawaja told ICC.

I am one of few coloured cricketers to ever represent Australia: Khawaja

"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.

"But at the same time, it is something that I am most proud of achieving because I am the first cricketer to be born in Pakistan or to come from a sub-continent background to represent the Australian cricket team. And I am one of few coloured cricketers to ever represent Australia, so it is very proud for me," he added further.

Khawaja spent three years out of the team after being dropped from the Test side post the 2019 Ashes series, which took some valuable time of his international career. He responded by aggregating runs in Australia's domestic league, the Sheffield Shield and as an outcome, he was called up for The Ashes against England in 2021-22. 

Khawaja had a swift impact and smashed hundreds in both innings of his home Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Khawaja's contribution has been crucial in helping Australia reach their first World Test Championship final. During the 2021–23 WTC cycle, he accumulated a staggering 1608 runs and is second only to England's Joe Root on the chart of the leading run-getters in the 2021-23 period.