SYDNEY, Nov 27 (PTI): Promising Australian batsman Philip Hughes today succumbed to his head injuries that he sustained during a domestic match on Tuesday, leaving the cricket fraternity in shock over the huge tragedy.
The 25-year-old cricketer, who was in contention for a Test recall for the coming series against India, died at the St Vincent�s Hospital, where he was battling for life after being hit on the head by a bouncer from Sean Abbot.
�It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away,� Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said in a statement.
�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.�
Hughes played 26 Tests in his short-career, scoring 1,535 runs at 32.65 with three centuries and seven fifties. His final Test was at Lord�s in July 2013.
He also played 25 ODIs, and remains the only Australian to score a century on ODI debut. His final ODI came last month against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, one week after he played his lone T20 international against the same opposition in Dubai.
�As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip�s family and friends at this incredibly sad time,� Brukner said.
�Cricket Australia kindly asks that the privacy of the Hughes family, players and staff be respected.�
The incident happened when Hughes was batting for South Australia during a Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales on Tuesday. He was batting on 63 when he was struck by the bouncer below the helmet while trying to play a hook shot.
He was administered CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation at the ground before being taken to hospital. He underwent a 90-minute emergency operation before being placed in an induced coma in the Intensive Care Unit of the St Vincent�s Hospital but he never regained consciousness.
Cricket NSW Chief Executive Andrew Jones said: �Phillip is fondly remembered as a bright and cheeky young man with an infectious smile who emerged as an outstanding junior more than a decade ago.
�Like so many NSW and Australian players before him, Phillip moved to Sydney to play Grade Cricket and found a home at Western Suburbs.
�Phillip had already scored 26 first class centuries and his best cricket was ahead of him. It is unspeakably sad he cannot now achieve his potential in the game.�
