‘I really thought I was going to die’: Former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja reveals secrets about his health

Australia’s Usman Khawaja (Reuters/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Former Australian spinner Usman Khawaja has revealed he battled rheumatoid arthritis during his international cricket career, hiding the condition from his teammates for years.In an interview with ABC, the 39-year-old recalled being diagnosed with the disease at just 22 years old, when severe pain in his left knee made it difficult to even walk.“I really thought I was going to die,” Khawaja said, describing how he went from an athletic cricketer to someone who could barely walk 10 metres.He was diagnosed in 2009 while playing in the off-season for New South Wales. Although doctors and cricket officials knew about his condition, he chose not to tell his teammates.

Why Khawaja kept his illness a secret

Khawaja feared that revealing his health problems could be used against him and did not want people to treat him differently. As a result, even former teammates David Warner and Michael Hussey were unaware of his condition.He relied on regular medication and injections to control the disease and returned to cricket about six months after his diagnosis. The treatment played a vital role in helping him continue his career.“Without that drug I would never have played cricket again or lived a normal life again,” he said.Khawaja hopes his experience will encourage people living with autoimmune diseases to continue to achieve their goals.“If a person can play at a top level as a professional cricketer with rheumatoid arthritis, then I think a lot of other people can also achieve a lot,” he added.

Khawaja’s cricket career and enduring message

Khawaja made his Test debut against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2011. Despite being dropped from the team several times, he made important comebacks. One of his biggest achievements came during the 2021–22 Ashes when he scored a century in both innings of the Sydney Test.He retired from Test cricket in January 2026 after the fifth Ashes Test against England in Sydney. He finished with 6,229 runs and 16 centuries in 88 Tests.Khawaja is also set to share more about his life and career in his upcoming autobiography, Sabr.His story highlights the health issues that can be behind the success of professional athletes. By speaking publicly about his illness after retirement, Khawaja hopes to raise awareness of rheumatoid arthritis and show others that having a chronic condition does not necessarily mean giving up on your ambitions.