Former Australia Test cricketer Damien Martyn is showing “positive signs” while in an induced coma after being diagnosed with meningitis, according to friend and former teammate Adam Gilchrist.

Martyn was admitted to Gold Coast hospital after falling ill on Boxing Day, where he remains in a serious but stable condition. Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Speaking on Fox Sports’ Big Bash League broadcast on Thursday, Gilchrist said Martyn’s family were grateful for the outpouring of support that followed the news on Wednesday.

“Thank you everyone for the heartfelt love and wishes and care for Damien as he goes through a challenging time,” Gilchrist said on their behalf.

“He’s still in hospital. There’ll 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’s been so much interest and love for Damien. A fine player, terrific fella. I just hope he can continue his recovery.’’

Born in Darwin, the right-hander earned a Test debut at 21 replacing the late Dean Jones in the 1992-93 home series against West Indies and was Western Australia’s captain at 23.

He was player of the series the last time Australia won an away series in India, top-scoring in four of Australia’s eight innings at the crease in the 2004 battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Gilchrist said Martyn played some of his best cricket overseas, overcoming the challenge of being away from home and out of your comfort zone.

“We all knew the skill and talent that he had and displayed, but it’s when you talk to opposition teams … The respect with which opposition teams speak about him and his talent and his quality, that’s where it rings true,” he said.

“Sometimes the Australian cricket audience might not fully appreciate ‘Marto’ because a lot of his work was done in the late hours in Australia when everyone was asleep and we were playing on foreign shores.”

Martyn is considered one of Australia’s most elegant batters, playing 67 Tests and scoring 4,406 Test runs for an average of 46.37 between 1992 and 2006.

He also played 208 ODIs and his unbeaten 88 in the 2003 World Cup final – with a broken finger – helped Australia secure victory over India.