Usman Khawaja spoke publicly for the first time about living with rheumatoid arthritis during his cricket career
Khawaja said he could not walk 10 metres to the bathroom at one stage and kept the condition hidden for years
The former Australia opener said only the board and medical staff knew, while even close friends were unaware until recently
Former Australian Opener Reveals Hiding Chronic Health Condition Throughout His Career: 'I Didn't Want...'
Former Australia opener has revealed for the first time that he lived with rheumatoid arthritis throughout his cricket career. The 39-year-old said he was diagnosed at 22, feared for his life and struggled to walk short distances. He retired in January 2026.
Summary
Former Australia opener Usman Khawaja has opened up about his battle with rheumatoid arthritis throughout his cricketing career for the first time.
In an interview with ABC, Khawaja said he was diagnosed with the disease when he was just 22, an incident that changed his life. He revealed that at one point, he genuinely believed he was going to die.
"I genuinely thought I was going to die," Khawaja said.
Khawaja retired in January 2026. He explained that the disease severely limited his mobility, turning simple tasks into major hurdles. "I went from this athlete who was playing professional cricket to not being able to walk 10 metres to the bathroom."
Khawaja admitted he is surprised he managed to keep the diagnosis hidden for so long, not even telling his childhood friend until last year. No one from the Australian cricket team knew about it except the board and the medical staff.
“I never got injured before I had my arthritic illness, but after that I got injured quite a lot and had to find a way to get my body in the right spot. Even my best friend from high school, Ardil, didn’t know until one year ago,” he said.
Khawaja, 39, said he kept the diagnosis under wraps to prevent it from being used against him.
“I didn’t want anyone to use it against me. I felt like I already had all these stereotypes I was trying to beat in Australian cricket, and I didn’t want to use that as an excuse,” Khawaja said.
Khawaja, who retired in January 2026, was the first Pakistani-born cricketer to represent Australia. He experienced numerous ups and downs throughout his playing days, noting that he was dropped eight times.
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“We are all human and go through the ups and downs of life. I go through the ups and downs of cricket, and it gets accentuated because everyone gets to see it,” Khawaja added.
Khawaja, who accumulated 6,229 Test runs with 16 centuries, is set to release his autobiography, Sabr, on November 10, 2026.
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