Khawaja Elevates Current Australia Test Team to Legendary Status

Usman Khawaja, the reigning ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year, asserts that the current Australian team is as formidable as any other in the nation’s cricketing history. Khawaja has been pivotal in Australia’s recent achievements in Test cricket, including securing their first ICC World Test Championship title against India at The Oval last year and recently overtaking Rohit Sharma’s team to become the No.1 ranked Test nation.

These accomplishments will be remembered, but the debate about how the current team compares to previous Australian sides that excelled in Test cricket remains open for discussion.

Can legends like Sir Donald Bradman and Ray Lindwall be fairly compared to modern stars like Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc? Does Nathan Lyon, the current leading spinner, match up to the legendary Shane Warne? How do former captains Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh compare with current skipper Pat Cummins?

Khawaja, who recalls the dominant Australian teams of the 1990s and early 2000s, believes the current team is on par with those illustrious sides of the past. “I think this current Australian team is as good as any other team that’s played before,” Khawaja confidently stated.

“Consider our bowlers – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon – combined with our batting lineup, particularly the World Test Championship team that won last year with David Warner and Steve Smith.

“I believe this team is as strong as any of the ones I’ve watched growing up. And I don’t say that lightly.”

Khawaja vividly remembers Waugh’s team, which won a record 16 consecutive Test matches from October 1999 to February 2001, and Ponting’s side, which matched this achievement between 2005 and 2008.

He acknowledges the remarkable talent of those teams but insists that the current team is exceptionally balanced and strong. “I’ve grown up watching some amazing Australian teams and I would never say we are better than any of them, never,” he said. “Those amazing teams, especially of the early 2000s, achieved incredible feats. But this team, with its balance and strengths, is one of the strongest I’ve played in.”

Khawaja’s exceptional batting form significantly contributed to Australia’s success in the World Test Championship, with the 37-year-old amassing 1621 runs during the 2021-2023 cycle, second only to England’s Joe Root.

His remarkable return to Australia’s Test side culminated in winning the ICC Test Player of the Year award last year, an honour he holds in high regard. “It has to be probably the greatest honour that I’ve received,” Khawaja said.

“It’s not just in Australia, it’s not domestic cricket, it’s worldwide. When you look at the list of cricketers who’ve won the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year – (Kumar) Sangakkara, Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith – some of the greats of the game, it’s quite humbling to have won the same trophy.

“If you had told me at any point in my career, especially two years ago, that I would win the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year, I would have laughed in your face. It’s something that I think will be one of the most cherished awards of my career.”