June 18, 2023 
By India Today Sports Desk: Australian opener Usman Khawaja has claimed that he thought his career was done before making a comeback to the Test side during the Ashes in 2021.
Khawaja scored a fantastic hundred on day 2 of the Edgbaston Test and built on his innings on Sunday as Australia scored 386 runs, seven short of the 393 posted by England in their first innings. The Aussie opener scored 141 in the end.
The 36-year-old scored his first hundred on English soil and was very emotional, after being dropped for the previous Ashes tour to England in 2019. Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the day's play on Sunday, as quoted by Sportskeeda, Khawaja said that he thought his career was over after he had played 44 matches.
The opener said that he is currently enjoying the ride with the side.
"Honestly, I thought that 44 Test matches, my career was done. I was very content and happy. Most people don't get to play 44 Test matches. Scored 8 hundreds, been a part of Ashes-winning teams, lots of winning teams. So when I got an opportunity to play again, honestly every Test feels like a bonus. Nothing lasts forever, so I am enjoying the ride," said Khawaja.
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Khawaja said that he was in the best mental space coming into this year's series, knowing that it could be his final Ashes series.
"Majority of things that happen as a batter are in your head. Very few times it might be technical. For me, I was probably in the best spot ever coming into England. I know this is probably going to be my last tour."
"I know that I was going to enjoy this tour. For me, I know that if the team is doing well, I am enjoying my cricket, but at the same time if I am a part of that, I got to keep scoring runs too. So it all came together I guess," said Khawaja.
July 20, 2024 
