Former coach Darren Lehmann paid tribute to Phillip Hughes on the 10-year anniversary of his tragic death, remembering him as a great young man who would have played 120 Test matches. The Australian cricket team found themselves in an unprecedented situation after Hughes’ death, but they went on to win the first Test against India at the Adelaide Oval by 48 runs. Improvements to player safety have been made, with technological advancements to customised helmets in sport.
Phillip Hughes Tribute by Darren Lehmann
A Decade After Tragic Death, Cricket Community Remembers
In the days following Phillip Hughes’ tragic death, the Australian cricket team found themselves in an unprecedented situation. The team’s funeral and a reshuffled cricket fixture created unwanted attention as they grieved both privately and publicly.
Emotional Tribute by Darren Lehmann
Former coach Darren Lehmann paid tribute to “a great young man” Phillip Hughes on the 10-year anniversary of his tragic death at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital. He remembers getting the phone call and walking into the hospital to see Phillip, describing it as ‘not great memories’.
Phillip’s Potential in Cricket
Lehmann believes Phillip would have played 120 Test matches, citing his incredible displays of stroke play. He recalls the young talent’s ability to take on gun bowlers like Dale Steyn and how he refined his game to become a better player.
Team’s Emotional Response
The Australian Test team played a remarkable match against India in the days that followed, with an outpouring of emotion from the whole of Australia. Lehmann describes the mood as sombre during the First Test in Adelaide, where ‘most blokes were crying’ at the shrine in the change rooms.
Tribute to Phillip Hughes
He thanks the Indian Test team for allowing them to get to the funeral and change dates. The community responds to a moment bigger than sport with moments of applause observed in the 63rd minute of matches, and improvements to player safety have been made, with technological advancements to customised helmets in sport.
Cricket Australia’s Response
Cricket Australia last year made neck protectors mandatory for batters facing medium to fast pace bowling. The team went on to win the first Test by 48 runs, with David Warner and Virat Kohli both scoring twin centuries, Steve Smith and Michael Clarke also scoring tons, while Nathan Lyon collected 12 wickets in a dramatic finish on the final day’s play.
Legacy of Phillip Hughes
A decade on, it’s still a memory that cuts through to Australians. Lehmann says had become bigger than sport. The legacy of Phillip Hughes continues to inspire the cricket community, with his potential and talent still remembered fondly by all who knew him.
The Tragic Incident
On November 29, 2014, just three days shy of his 26th birthday, Phillip Hughes was struck by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He suffered severe head injuries and passed away two days later at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.
Lehmann’s Tribute
In an emotional tribute to Hughes, Lehmann remembered receiving the phone call about the incident and walking into the hospital to see Phillip. He described it as a “not great memory” but one that still resonates with him today.
Lehmann believes that Hughes would have gone on to play 120 Test matches, citing his incredible displays of stroke play. He recalled how Hughes refined his game to become a better player and was able to take on top-class bowlers like Dale Steyn.
The Team’s Response
In the days following Hughes’ death, the Australian cricket team found themselves in an unprecedented situation. Despite their grief, they went on to win the first Test against India at the Adelaide Oval by 48 runs. Lehmann praised the Indian team for allowing them to attend the funeral and change dates.
A Lasting Legacy
The community responds to a moment bigger than sport with moments of applause observed in the 63rd minute of matches, and improvements to player safety have been made, with technological advancements to customised helmets in sport.
