Usman Khawaja Reveals He Feared for His Life During Arthritis Battle
At the age of 22, Usman Khawaja, a former Australian batsman, was diagnosed with a condition that could have potentially terminated his cricket career before it had actually begun. While playing for New South Wales, the young cricket player discovered that he had rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that could be debilitating.
He made the unprecedented decision to keep this a secret for the duration of his international career after withdrawing from the sport following Australia’s Ashes victory in January. He has only now disclosed the truth.
Usman Khawaja amassed 6,229 runs with 16 hundreds while playing 88 Test matches for Australia, adding two ODI hundreds to his record. He was the inaugural Muslim and Pakistani-born player to represent Australia in Test cricket.
He persevered in his efforts to regain his place in the Australian Test team, despite being dismissed eight times. His most notable performance was a pair of hundreds in Sydney in 2022, at the age of 35.
What motivated Usman Khawaja to conceal his diagnosis?
Doctors were unable to determine the cause of Usman Khawaja’s severe left knee distress in the initial months following his 2009 off-season diagnosis, which led him to fear the worst. His degree of discretion regarding the circumstances was extraordinary. He disclosed his diagnosis to the cricket administration, medical staff, and coaching staff; however, he deliberately concealed it from all squad members.
His rationale was straightforward: he did not wish to be granted preferential treatment or to have his condition exploited by his opponents or detractors.
Continuous medical intervention was required to effectively manage the disorder. In the six months following his diagnosis, Usman Khawaja credits his ability to resume competitive cricket to the frequent injections of a drug he affectionately calls a “godsend.”
The medicine substantially enhanced his quality of life and job prospects. Usman Khawaja clarified, “I would have been unable to play cricket or even lead a normal life without that drug.”
Even his closest acquaintances were unaware of his suffering. During their time together, Khawaja’s health struggles were not disclosed to his Test teammate Michael Hussey or his childhood cricket buddy David Warner, both of whom are prominent figures in Australian cricket.
Usman Khawaja’s forthcoming autobiography, Sabr, provides a detailed account of his experience with autoimmune disease and his desire to provide encouragement to those who are affected by it.
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Usman Khawaja further stated, “If a professional cricket player with rheumatoid arthritis can compete at the highest level, I am confident that many others can as well.”
