NEW DELHI: Former Australian batter Damien Martyn is on the road to recovery after a miraculous survival, having spent eight days in a coma following a diagnosis of a severe form of meningitis.

Martyn fell seriously ill on December 27, 2025 and was placed in an induced coma in the intensive care unit. He began showing signs of recovery in the first week of January.

Martyn took to social media on Wednesday to share an update on his health, reflecting on his ordeal from a month ago when he was rushed to hospital, and how the New Year brought renewed hope as he emerged victorious in his battle against the life-threatening illness.

"I can't believe it's been a month from yesterday that I was rushed to hospital. It's certainly been an eventful January but the love and support still pouring in has been overwhelming. To the people that have shared their stories of having this disease and how they coped during and after has helped me immensely so I thank you," he wrote on X.

Martyn said he is steadily recovering and looking forward to returning to everyday life, including being able to walk along the beach and enjoy a swim again.

"I'm on the mend and looking forward to getting back to my normal self. To be honest it makes you appreciate so many things. I'm so happy to just get back on the beach have a walk and swim," he added.

Martyn featured in 67 Tests for Australia between 1992 and 2006, scoring 4,406 runs at an average of 46.37, including 13 centuries. His remarkable comeback in 2000 after six years out of the Test side stands as one of cricket's great redemption stories.

In ODIs, Martyn was equally influential, scoring 5,346 runs at an average of 40.80. He played a pivotal role in Australia's 2003 World Cup triumph, most memorably with an unbeaten 88 in the final against India, sharing a match-defining partnership with Ricky Ponting.