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"Sledged the crap out of me": Usman Khawaja recalls McCullum's brutal side in untold story

Akshita Patel

Usman Khawaja's tense encounter with McCullum [Source: @Uz_Khawaja, @ICC/X.com]Usman Khawaja's tense encounter with McCullum [Source: @Uz_Khawaja, @ICC/X.com]

Australian batter Usman Khawaja has opened up about a fiery and unforgettable encounter with New Zealand legend Brendon McCullum. He revealed how the former Kiwi captain transformed from a harsh sledger to the global face of cricketing respect and sportsmanship. 

Khawaja recalled his first clash with McCullum in 2011, during a Test series between Australia and New Zealand. According to him, the Kiwi wicketkeeper was relentless.

Usman Khawaja recounts his fiercest sledging encounter with McCullum

At that time, Brendon McCullum had an aggressive attitude, a sharp tongue, and a no-nonsense approach on the field. 

Usman Khawaja, talking to Fox Cricket, admitted that he wasn’t prepared for the level of intensity McCullum brought into the contest.

“He absolutely tore shreds off me. He sledged the crap out of me, like I’d never been sledged in international cricket before," Khawaja said.

But what shocked Khawaja even more was what happened four years later. 

By the time Australia faced New Zealand in 2015, McCullum, now the captain, had undergone a remarkable transformation. The fiery, outspoken cricketer had turned into someone completely different.

“It was really bizarre, a few years later when we played against him and he was captain … he was a totally different person. He was chilled and just went about his business. I won’t say exactly the words that he said, but he was just like, ‘Yeah. I was a bit of a … I’ve learned a lot and matured since then," he added.

Brendon McCullum had reinvented the culture of New Zealand cricket, earning global praise for leading one of the most respectful, fair-minded teams in the world. 

He even received the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award, something unimaginable during his early years. 

McCullum ended up apologising to Khawaja

After the 2016 Australia tour of New Zealand, McCullum’s final Test series, Usman Khawaja finally confronted him about their first battle. 

During post-series drinks, Brendon McCullum apologised for his behaviour from years earlier.

“But when I was young, he nailed me, so it is funny to see both sides. I respect someone who matures and looks back and thinks, ‘Yeah, I probably wasn’t playing the way I wanted to there.’ I have nothing but respect for that."

Khawaja says he respects McCullum even more now, not just for his cricket, but for the fact that he could look back, grow, and accept his past mistakes.