Brisbane [Australia], January 4 (ANI): Former Australian cricketer and Test legend Damien Martyn has woken from an induced coma after being hospitalised for over a week due to meningitis, according to the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.

Martyn, 54, was admitted to Gold Coast University Hospital on December 27 after falling seriously ill and was placed in an induced coma. The development was confirmed by former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist, who stated that the 54-year-old is now 'able to talk and respond to the treatment'.

Martyn represented Australia in 67 Tests, 208 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and four T20 Internationals between 1992 and 2006. He remains widely regarded as one of the greatest ODI finishers in cricket history.

Earlier, Martyn's partner, Amanda, issued a statement where she and his family expressed their thanks for the support. Amanda also added that everyone should respect their privacy during a tough time.

'Damien is progressing well with his medical treatment. We also want to express our deepest appreciation to the medical team at Gold Coast University Hospital, who have been nothing short of amazing throughout this challenging time. This has been a trying time, and the family ask that you respect their privacy,'' she said, as quoted by The West Australian.

Martyn's former Australian teammate and the former Australia coach Darren Lehmann sent well wishes for Martyn on social media after news broke of his illness.'Lots of love and prayers sending Damien Martyn's way. Keep strong and fighting legend,' Lehmann wrote on X.

Renowned for his elegant stroke play, Martyn finished his Test career with 4,406 runs in 67 matches at an average of 46.37, including 13 centuries. In ODIs, he scored 5,346 runs in 208 games at an average of 40.80, registering five centuries and 37 half-centuries.

One of Martyn's most memorable achievements came during the 2004 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, where he was named Player of the Series. He finished as the top scorer in four of Australia's eight innings, helping Australia secure its first away series win in India in several years. (ANI)