Cricketer Philip Hughes passed away
Australia Test batsman Phillip Hughes passed away
Phillip Hughes has died as a result of the injuries he sustained when struck by a bouncer on Tuesday, Cricket Australia has confirmed. He was 25.
Team doctor Peter Brukner confirmed the news in a statement released on Thursday afternoon.
“It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away,” Dr Brukner said. “He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday. He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends.
“As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time. Cricket Australia kindly asks that the privacy of the Hughes family, players and staff be respected.”
Players, coaches and other friends had been in and out of St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney throughout Wednesday and Thursday, visiting Hughes and supporting his family, and each other. Australia’s captain Michael Clarke, a close friend of Hughes’, had been at the hospital until after midnight on Wednesday night and returned at about 6am on Thursday.
Brad Haddin, Steven Smith, Shane Watson, David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Starc and Daniel Smith all spent time at the hospital, as did Ricky Ponting, Simon Katich, Phil Jaques and Brett Lee. Some flew in from interstate, including Aaron Finch, Matthew Wade, Peter Siddle, Peter Forrest, George Bailey, Ed Cowan, Justin Langer, and Cricket Australia’s CEO James Sutherland and high performance manager Pat Howard. The national coach Darren Lehmann was there as well.
Also keeping vigil at the hospital were the Hughes family, including his mother and sister, who had been at the Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and New South Wales on Tuesday when Hughes was struck by the bouncer while batting on 63. At a press conference at St Vincent’s Hospital on Thursday afternoon, Clarke read a statement on behalf of Hughes’ parents Greg and Virginia, and brother and sister Jason and Megan.
“We are devastated by the loss of our much-loved son and brother Phillip,” Clarke read. “It has been a very difficult few days. We appreciated all the support we have received from family, friends, players, Cricket Australia and the general public.
Phil Hughes’ death a ‘sad day for cricket’: Tendulkar
Batting icon Sachin Tendulkar led tributes in India on Thursday for Australian opener Phillip Hughes, calling the death of his former teammate a “sad day for cricket”.
“Shocked to hear about Phil. Sad day for cricket,” said Tendulkar, who played alongside the 25-year-old Hughes in the Indian Premier League.
“Deepest condolences to family, friends and well wishers. RIP,” Tendulkar said on Twitter of his former Mumbai Indians teammate.
Former and current Indian stars joined Tendulkar in paying tribute to Hughes, who died in a Sydney hospital on Thursday of injuries sustained after being hit by a rising ball in domestic cricket.
Batting great Sunil Gavaskar said his immediate reaction was “one of profound sadness”.
“No one wants to hear such news about a sportsman, let alone a cricketer,” the former opening batsman told . “My condolences to his family and the Australian cricketing fraternity.”
Gavaskar, the first batsman to score 10,000 Test runs who played at the highest level in the pre-helmet days, said he never considered cricket to be a dangerous game.
“You learn to bear the pain,” he said. “But this was a freakish accident. One should not blame helmet manufacturers for this. Many a time a batsman has been hit on the helmet and nothing happened because he was wearing one.”
Another former captain Anil Kumble, who serves as mentor of the Mumbai Indians franchise, tweeted: “Sad day for cricket. Phil Hughes RIP. Knew him whilst he came over to Mumbai Indians. Thorough pro..will miss you.”