Melbourne [Australia], January 1 : Australian cricketing icon Adam Gilchrist issued a health update on his former teammate Damien Martyn as he battles meningitis, saying that the 54-year-old is "still in hospital and some positive signs are the indications coming out of the various tests he is having".
Martyn, one of the most decorated Australian cricketers in the 2000s and a part of their golden era, is in a Queensland hospital battling meningitis after falling ill on Boxing Day, and news emerged on Tuesday evening about his condition, as per ESPNCricinfo. The former batter was placed in an induced coma.
Speaking on FOX Cricket, Gilchrist said, "He is still in hospital. There will be more details coming out as they come to hand, but certainly in the last 24 hours, some positive signs are the indications coming out of the various tests he's having."
"There has been so much interest and love. A fine player, terrific fella. I just hope he can continue his recovery," he added.
A spokesperson from the Gold Coast Health, said on Wednesday as per Nine as quoted by FOX, "Damien Martyn remains in a serious condition at the Gold Coast University Hospital."
The 54-year-old played 67 Tests and 208 ODIs and four T20Is for Australia between 1992 and 2006. To this day, he is widely regarded as one of the best ODI finishers in cricket history.
Martyn, known as one of the game's great stroke makers, finished his Test career with 4,406 runs in 67 matches at an average of 46.37, with 13 centuries and 23 fifties. In the ODIs, he scored 5,346 runs in 208 games at an average of 40.80, with five centuries and 37 half-centuries.
Notably, he was named Player of the Series when Australia last won a Test series in India, finishing as the top scorer in four of Australia's eight innings during the 2004 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with 444 runs in four Tests at an average of 55.50, including two centuries and two fifties in eight innings and a best score of 114, which came during the third Nagpur Test which Australia won by 342 runs to seal the series.
Martyn is also a two-time ICC Cricket World Cup winner in 1999 and 2003, playing a massive role in his team's 2003 success, with 88* in the title clash against India in just 84 balls and scoring 323 runs in 10 matches, eight innings at an average of 64.60, with four fifties. He won the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy in India, emerging as the third-highest run-getter with 241 runs in five innings at an average of 80.33, including two fifties.