.Usman Khawaja will certainly come to be Australia's earliest Examination cricketer in over twenty years this summer season as the veteran opener gets ready for his 18th period of professional cricket.The Queenslander, who turns 38 this December, will certainly barring personal injury come to be the nation's oldest Exam cricketer due to the fact that former leader Steve Waugh. Prior to Tugga, the previous Australian to play Exam cricket after celebrating their 38th special day was the fabulous Allan Border.Khawaja, the reigning ICC Examination Cricketer of the Year, assumed his international job ended after being actually fell in advance of the 2019/20 summer.However, the left-hander has been the Australian Exam edge's leading run-scorer given that his fortuitous callback during the 2021/22 Ashes series, gathering 2564 go for 53.41 with 7 hundreds-- just England's Joe Origin has actually managed even more runs throughout that period.Watch India v New Zealand LIVE & special to Fox Athletics, readily available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin your free test today > Khawaja believes he "most definitely" would certainly have retired years ago if not for the "cooled, rested atmosphere" produced through nationwide instructor Andrew McDonald and also Test captain Dab Cummins.While he recently felt disillusioned by the national staff's approach to instruction, Khawaja commended the current coaching staff for recognizing his necessities as a sportsmen entering into the twilight of their having fun career.Curating a personal training routine has enabled Khawaja to produce his greatest cricket at an age where others have blended off.Usman Khawaja of Australia. Photo through Dab Hoelscher/ AFPSource: AFP" Participating in cricket for Australia is actually incredibly demanding," Khawaja told Fox Cricket final month." There were actually a considerable amount of cartons that I had to seem like I had to beat, certainly not always creating me a better cricketer. Our experts only must perform it because that's what our company needed to carry out." There were actually a considerable amount of things our team did in relations to getting ready for suits and also carrying out workouts that believed a bit unusual to me, it failed to actually make good sense." When a person's having fun at 37 contrasted to when a guy's 24, they're both heading to need to have incredibly various traits. The manner in which they ready is heading to be different, what they need prior to a match is really different. "It thought that for a long time everybody consistently performed the exact same trait, regardless of where you resided in your life or even in your video game, or even where your bodies were actually."( Cummins) is going to tell you, he undoubtedly would certainly not qualify as much right now as you carried out five years earlier. You can't. You can not burn the candle at each ends. There is actually a bit more appreciation for that currently. "So certainly, if it was the outdated way of performing it, I had to be actually performing every little thing that every person else performed, I might be like, 'Ok, I am actually done, no thank you.'" It's perhaps the reason I am actually still participating in." Many Test runs for Australia after 35th birthday2564-- Usman Khawaja2554-- Steve Waugh2473-- Allan Border2323-- Michael Hussey1996-- Chris RogersUsman Khawaja of Australia. Image through Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesDespite everything Khawaja has actually obtained throughout his 13-year Examination profession, consisting of 2 Ashes conquests and also a World Test Champion headline, he still hasn't featured in a productive Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign.The Queenslander was actually lost in advance of the 2011/12 whitewash, while he additionally wasn't selected for the 2014/15 collection, which remains Australia's most recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph.Ahead of what will definitely easily be his ultimate Examination series versus India, Khawaja is actually self-assured Australia can end its own ten-year dry spell versus the Oriental goliath." This certainly thinks that some of the strongest teams we've eaten an even though," Khawaja stated." Our company have actually been playing some truly great cricket, yet India's crew is actually good also, which is actually why everyone's thus excited to enjoy the No. 1 and also No. 2 crews going at it." This Australian team is actually really settled. It is actually been actually strong for a while." There's no reasons, whoever wins is likely the most ideal team in the world." I believe our team remain in the most effective setting our experts have actually remained in an although to take India on." Khawaja has actually scored 544 Test runs versus India at 34.00, while that amount goes down to 28.28 on home soil.However, the left-hander takes honor in his performance throughout the 2018 Perth Test against India, where he top-scored in the second innings with a rough 72 in difficult circumstances." That opening was actually horrendous," Khawaja giggled." Everyone's merely getting smash hit. I obtained struck in the almonds. (Aaron) Finch was just acquiring hit on his handwear cover he strolled off the field. Individuals just acquiring hit left, right, and also facility. It was actually a new Perth wicket which wasn't very all set at the time." That's the stuff I look back on. If I failed to score operates there, they will possess chased our total down and we would possess shed." Usman Khawaja of Queensland. Image through Morgan Hancock/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesUsman Khawaja's home Examination batting average74.40 vs New Zealand58.11 vs South Africa57.44 vs the West Indies56.00 vs Sri Lanka53.83 vs England48.70 vs Pakistan28.28 vs IndiaUnlike many of his Australian allies, Khawaja took pleasure in a quiet off-season that included plenty of golf and also household time. He represented the Vancouver Knights in the International T20 Canada, but or else didn't participate in any kind of reasonable cricket over the winter.Having started his home summer along with a half-century versus Victoria in recently's one-day suit at Junction Oval, Khawaja's focus transforms in the direction of the Sheffield Cover, which gets underway on Tuesday.To manage his work, the 37-year-old counts on to simply play 3 Sheffield Defense matches before the 1st Test against India in late November.Queensland are going to encounter Western Australia for its own Sheffield Cover opener at the WACA coming from Tuesday, along with the first sphere set up for 1.30 pm AEDT.