Former Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has revealed an illness he has kept secret for his entire Test career.

Khawaja played 88 Tests for Australia, scoring 16 centuries and 28 fifties between 2011 and 2026 before calling time on his international career last winter.

The Pakistan-born 39-year-old helped the Baggy Greens win or retain the Ashes three times, as well as the 2023 World Test Championship, all while battling rheumatoid arthritis.

Khawaja opens up about little-known illness

The Australian has opened up about his battle with the long-term autoimmune disease, which he described as “debilitating” and said made him think he was “going to die” during an interview on October 26.

Khawaja, who was Australia’s first Muslim cricketer, was diagnosed at the age of 22 after feeling pain in his left knee so severe that he couldn’t walk to the bathroom. To this day, he still takes injections to cope with the condition and explained how the back issues he experienced at the end of his career were a result of the illness.

“I genuinely thought I was going to die,” Khawaja revealed.

“I went from this athlete who was playing professional cricket to not being able to walk 10 metres to the bathroom.”

The batsman explained that even his teammates didn’t know about the condition, with Cricket New South Wales and Cricket Australia’s medical staff having “kept to their ethical code” with regard to the illness.

“It was debilitating. I took an injection last night,” he added.

“It was part of the reason that I did my back at the end of my career, but I couldn’t tell anyone.

“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.

“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.”

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

According to the NHS, the condition causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints and usually affects the hands, feet and wrists.

Symptoms can worsen during certain periods, known as flare-ups or flares, and there is currently no cure.

NHS guidance reads:

“Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means your immune system (which usually fights infection) attacks the cells that line your joints by mistake, making the joints swollen, stiff and painful.

Over time, this can damage the joints, cartilage and nearby bone.

It's not clear what triggers this problem with the immune system, although you're at an increased risk if:

· you are a woman

· you have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis

· you smoke”