Australia batter Phillip Hughes tragically passed away in 2014© X (Twitter)
Family and teammates paid tribute to late Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes on Wednesday, marking 10 years since he died after being struck on the neck while batting. Hughes, who played 26 Tests, died from bleeding on the brain after he was hit by a rising ball during a domestic match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in November 2014. Images of 25-year-old Hughes lying helpless on the pitch as players rushed to his aid shocked the world cricket community, sparking an outpouring of grief and calls to make the game safer.
“Phillip was a loving, humorous and an infectious person to be around,” his family said in a statement released on the 10-year anniversary of his death.
“He played cricket for all the right reasons and had the ability to take it all in his stride.
“He loved being a part of a team and representing Australia for the game he loved so deeply.”
Former teammate David Warner said Hughes would have been just as good, “if not better”, than himself and fellow batting great Steve Smith.
“I’d like to think he was probably a more complete player than what I was,” he told Australia’s NewsCorp.
Darren Lehmann — Australia’s coach at the time of Hughes’ death — said the promising batsman would have gone on to play “120 Test matches, there’s no doubt about that”.
“He would’ve just gone from strength to strength, the way he played,” he told national broadcaster ABC.
Cricket Australia said Hughes’ memory would live “forever in our hearts”, declaring he would be “forever 63 not out” — his score at the time he was struck.
The governing body has announced a series of events to mark the anniversary, coinciding with the second Test between Australia and India beginning December 6.
Players in upcoming domestic matches across the country will wear black armbands in his honour.
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