‘I thought I was going to die’: Usman Khawaja reveals rheumatoid arthritis battle he hid throughout his Australia career

‘I thought I was going to die’: Usman Khawaja reveals rheumatoid arthritis battle he hid throughout his Australia career originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Usman Khawaja secretly battled rheumatoid arthritis throughout his Australia career.Diagnosed at 22, he suffered severe pain in his left knee.Medication helped him return to cricket after fearing his career was over.He retired in January 2026 with 6,229 Test runs.MORE:Usman Khawaja's book name, release date as 'explosive' details of Sandpapergate expectedUsman Khawaja reveals secret rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis at 22Ex-Australia opening batter Usman Khawaja spoke of a health problem that he kept under wraps during his entire international cricket playing career.In his interview with Australian Story, the 39-year-old mentioned the diagnosis of his rheumatoid arthritis at the young age of 22.According to him, the disease had made him suffer painful episodes of his left knee and brought the curtains down on his cricket career even before it could begin.“I genuinely thought I was going to die,” Khawaja said, adding how he had to deal with a situation where he had gone from being an athletic player in cricket to one who could hardly walk 10 meters.The former cricketer had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis in 2009, when he was playing for New South Wales in the off season. While the health issue had been revealed to the doctors and cricket administrators, he did not mention it to his teammates.MORE:'If it was up to me…': Anderson reacts to bitter end to his Lancashire careerWhy Khawaja kept his arthritis diagnosis a secretKhawaja did not want to get any special attention because he was scared about how his sickness would be exploited by his enemies. Consequently, even his friends and former teammates like David Warner and Michael Hussey were unaware of the condition he was suffering from.The left-handed batsman required regular medication and injections to manage his disease. It made him return to the crease around six months after being diagnosed with the disease so that he could realize his dream of representing Australia.The significance of medication to Khawaja’s recovery process was illustrated when Khawaja said, "Without that drug, I would never have played cricket ever again or even lived a normal life again.”Khawaja’s experience also influenced the message that he wants to spread among people who have been diagnosed with autoimmune diseases.“If a person can play at the top level as a professional cricketer with rheumatoid arthritis, then I think a lot of other people can achieve a lot, too,” he added.MORE:Du Plessis reveals how Virat's 'bullish style of play' made India harder to bullyKhawaja's Australia career: From early struggles to 6,229 Test runsGetty ImagesKhawaja made his Test debut in January 2011 against England at Sydney Cricket Ground and proved to be a crucial player in Australia's batting lineup despite being dropped several times.Some of his most significant comebacks include the 2021-22 Ashes, where he scored two centuries in both the innings of the Sydney Test match, showcasing his resilience.He retired from Tests in January 2026 after the fifth Test of Ashes against England in Sydney after scoring 6,229 runs and scoring 16 centuries in 88 Tests.His story gives an interesting insight into how his whole career was managed around a potentially career-threatening illness that had gone unnoticed by all until now.Khawaja will soon share more details of his life and career in his upcoming autobiography titled Sabr.MORE:No Kohli, Sharma and Bumrah: Rahane picks his all-time India Test 11Khawaja's story highlights challenges behind elite cricketThe tale of Khawaja is a stark reminder of the additional hurdles professional cricket players have to deal with other than on the field. His whole career is measured through the runs he scored and centuries he made, but in private life, he dealt with a disease which once had him thinking about his future.His reluctance to make the information about his disease public speaks volumes about the pressure athletes feel not to be seen any differently because of their health problems. Being able to score more than 6,000 Test runs while struggling with such a disease is something very special.Through talking freely about his condition during retirement, he may help draw some attention to rheumatoid arthritis and inspire many chronically ill people to follow their dreams.For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary, and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.