Sport at its most elementary is about life at its pulsating best. There is joy, despair, triumph and defeat, and above all it is about living in the moment. A glorious sun, deep blue skies, freshly cut grass, a gentle breeze and athletes on the prowl are all part of the sporting canvas.
But when death stalks the playing fields it is a tragedy that none can fully comprehend. On Wednesday, Australia woke up to the 10th death anniversary of Phillip Hughes. A sombre note hung in the air and former cricketers like Darren Lehmann recalled the late Australian opener’s playing days and a poignant documentary did the rounds.
The bereaved family put out a heartfelt note: “Phillip, we love you, we miss you and we are forever proud of you. We think about you everyday and we are so thankful you were ours.” Felled by a Sean Abbott bouncer in a Sheffield Shield game at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 25, 2014, Hughes (25) never recovered and passed away on November 27.
Shock rippled through the cricketing circles and safety measures underwent another round of scrutiny. That Hughes was wearing a helmet and still succumbed after the ball stuck an unprotected part of his head deeply affected the cricketing fraternity. The ICC imposed new rules and the concussion substitute option was executed.
The deaths of Malcolm Marshall (1999) and Shane Warne (2022), the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan team at Lahore and Hughes passing away due to a freak accident on the ground, were all moments when cricketers grappled with the unpredictability of life. Ever since Hughes departed, every fast bowler is even more conscious and concerned when a bouncer strikes a batter. It is a moment when a memory shimmers and the awareness seeps in: there is more to life than just sport.
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