Phillip Hughes tragedy: Nasser Hussain says Australia's players will be hurting
Individuals must decide whether they are ready to face India next week
Thursday 27 November 2014 12:24, UK
Nasser Hussain says Australia’s players must decide whether they feel up to featuring in next week’s first Test against India following the tragic passing of Phillip Hughes.
Australia are scheduled to play the first of four Tests against MS Dhoni’s team from December 4, though Hughes’ death has cast doubt over whether the game will take place.
To ask guys like Haddin, Lyon and Watson, who were holding their dying friend on the SCG turf, to strap on their pads might be asking too much.
Hughes was hit on the head by a bouncer during South Australia’s Sheffield Shield match with New South Wales on Tuesday and died two days later in a Sydney hospital.
Likely Australia Test players Shane Watson, David Warner, Brad Haddin and Nathan Lyon were in New South Wales’ side for that contest.
“It will be very, very difficult in a week’s time with all the emotion so it has got to be a real individual decision from the Australia players,” said Hussain.
“To ask guys like Haddin, Lyon and Watson, who were playing in the game and holding their dying friend on the SCG turf, to strap on their pads might be asking too much.
“But they may want to play as a tribute to Phillip Hughes and make it a Test match for him. I don’t think anyone could complain with whatever decision those cricketers make.”
Gutted
“We had a similar thing a long time ago in New Zealand when we came off at lunchtime to hear the news that Ben Hollioake had died in a car crash.
“We were all absolutely gutted by it and some of the Surrey boys, Graham Thorpe and Mark Butcher in particular, almost couldn’t carry on.”
Hussain also paid tribute to Hughes, who scored three hundreds in his 26 Tests, including one in each innings in just his second game against South Africa, in Durban, in 2009.
“He had a real fighting spirit,” Hussain said of Hughes, who was set to replace the injured Michael Clarke for the opening match with India next week.
“He didn’t always have the greatest technique but that didn’t bother him and he always came back for more. He wasn’t someone who’d give up easily and he was on the verge of another call-up.
“I didn’t really know him personally but if you speak to anyone, whether here in England, where he played for a few counties, or in Australia, there are people hurting.
“He was a lovely lad – you can tell that by reading social media and listening to the tributes.”
