'I'm back': Cricket great Damien Martyn breaks silence after 'awful' health battle

Aussie cricket great Damien Martyn has spoken for the first time since waking from an induced coma amid a battle with meningitis.

Martyn was rushed to a Gold Coast hospital after falling ill on Boxing Day, and spent eight days in an induced coma.

On Saturday afternoon, the 54-year-old took to social media to provide the first update on his health since his release from hospital on January 8.

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"This post is A BIG thank you to ALL my family, friends and so many other people who have reached out to me," he said.

"My life was taken out of my hands (when) meningitis took over my brain. Unbeknownst to me, I was placed into a paralysed coma for eight days to help me fight this awful disease.

"And that I did! Fight that is!"

Martyn revealed he had been given a 50-50 chance of survival, and wasn't able to walk or talk upon waking.

"Yet four days after that, with the doctors in disbelief, I walked, I talked, and I proved to them all why I should be released from hospital to start my recovery.

"(I'm) so happy to be home, to be able to put my feet in the sand on the beach and to start thanking all those people that reached out to me and my family in their unwavering support.

"This experience has reminded me of how fragile life is, how quickly everything can change and how precious time is."

Martyn played 67 Test matches and 208 one-day internationals for Australia, as well as four T20 internationals.

He averaged an impressive 46.37 in Tests and 40.80 in ODIs and was known as one of the most entertaining batters of his era.

Martyn ended the post by thanking paramedics, doctors, nurses and "people I didn't even know" for their "messages of love and support".

"I am so grateful to you all … Bring on 2026. I'm back!"