Usman Khawaja retired from International cricket in 2026 (Credit: Cricket Australia) Usman Khawaja, who played in 88 Test matches for Australia, has disclosed that he had rheumatoid arthritis for a significant portion of his playing career. Months after he ended his international career, the information was made public. When he received the potentially crippling diagnosis, he was only 22. Even close friends David Warner and Michael Hussey were unaware of Khawaja's illness because the 39-year-old kept it a secret throughout his career. He claimed that Khawaja concealed the sickness from his teammates because he did not want special treatment or run the risk of the ailment being used against him, even though the medical, coaching, and administrative personnel were aware of it. While speaking with the 'Australian Story', Khawaja expressed his anxiety that the diagnosis would put an end to his goal of playing cricket before it had even started. When medical professionals first failed to identify the source of his left knee pain, he also thought he had a terminal illness. "I genuinely thought I was going to die. I went from this athlete who was playing professional cricket to not being able to walk 10 metres to the bathroom,” Khawaja said, as per ABC Sport. According to Khawaja, he hopes that by disclosing his diagnosis, those with autoimmune disorders may find hope. In his soon-to-be published autobiography, 'Sabr', he also describes how he struggled with the illness. "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 said. The former Australian opener also disclosed that he uses a medication he called 'a godsend' on a regular basis to treat his illness. "Without that drug. I would never have played cricket ever again or even lived a normal life again," said Khawaja. For Australia, Khawaja amassed 6,229 international runs, including 16 hundreds. Additionally, he was the first athlete from Pakistan to play for Australia. His capacity to overcome obstacles marked his career. Khawaja lost his spot eight times, making him one of the most discarded players in Australian Test history. When he hit twin hundreds (137 and 101 not out) in the Sydney Ashes Test in January 2022 at the age of 35, it was one of the high points of his career. Nikhil is an accomplished sports journalist with extensive experience spanning several years across digital, and multimedia platforms. Currently contr... View More