Usman Khawaja let his bat do the talking with a match-winning knock of 41 to guide Australia to a historic series victory over India at the SCG. Questions have been rife about Khawaja’s place in the Australian team, and former Test captain Michael Clarke called for the veteran opener to retire after the SCG Test.

But Khawaja’s match-winning knock on Sunday showed he has plenty left to give and will be vital to Australia’s chances of winning the Ashes next summer. On a lively pitch playing plenty of tricks on the batters, the 38-year-old played a brilliant innings of 41 off 45 balls.

It gave Australia the perfect platform as they chased down the target of 162 with six wickets in hand – winning the five-Test series 3-1. It marks the first time Australia have held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 10 years, and the first time in 56 years they’ve come back from 0-1 down in a home series to win.

Khawaja’s knock was the perfect response to Clarke, who claimed before the match that the SCG Test should be the opener’s last. With a tour of Sri Lanka to come later this month and the Ashes next summer, Clarke said it’s the perfect time to look to the future.

“This is Uzzie’s home Test match, the SCG,” Clarke said on the ‘Beyond 23’ podcast. “He has been an amazing player, absolutely amazing player. Come back in, score runs overseas, score runs in Australia. He is 38 years of age, I think it could be a great opportunity for Uzzie to announce his retirement, and Sydney to be his last Test.

“I know he would like to keep playing. His form has not been as good as he would like throughout this series. I know we have got a trip to Sri Lanka, and then we have got the Ashes. There is a lot of cricket in between, but I also think that could be a great opportunity for a new player to come in, open the batting, get some Test match cricket under their belt before the first Ashes Test match.”

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Marnus Labuschagne might be dropped for Sri Lanka tour

Khawaja has expressed his desire to keep playing until the Ashes, and his experience will be valuable alongside 19-year phenom Sam Konstas. But selectors might be forced to bite the bullet and make a change at No.3.

Marnus Labuschagne made 2 and 3 in Sydney and has been out of form for the majority of the last two years. His dismissal on Sunday during Australia’s chase sparked plenty of backlash after he guided the ball straight to gully with a half-hearted shot.

With Nathan McSweeney waiting in the wings, Cameron Green to return from injury later this year and Peter Handscomb set to be included in the squad for Sri Lanka, it looks like Labuschagne’s time might be up. Beau Webster performed brilliantly on Test debut in Sydney – making 57 and 39 not out – and looks likely to hold his spot even when Green returns.

And with Konstas, Steve Smith and Travis Head, there might not be a spot for Labuschagne moving forward. Labuschange made scores of 72, 70 and 64 in the India series, but hasn’t made a century in two years and also had 2, 3, 12, 1, 2 and 6. Calls were rife on Sunday for the 30-year-old to be dropped.