Adelaide: In the minds of the cricket lovers, Phillip Hughes will remain ’63 Not Out Forever’ but on today the departed cricketer was named his national team’s “13th man” as the first cricket Test between India and Australia started here on an emotional note.
Cricket Australia want the first Test to be a celebration of Phillip Hughes’s life, asking fans to stand for 63 seconds of applause rather than a minute’s silence. CA has announced a range of tributes for Tuesday, when Australia’s rescheduled four-Test series against India starts at Hughes’s adopted home ground, Adelaide Oval. It will be a sombre affair, with the Test squad still in shock over Hughes’s tragic death.
The Australian players will wear Hughes’ Test cap No.408 on their shirts for the match, while the number will also be painted on the oval. Both sides will observe a pre-match video tribute to Hughes, narrated by Australian cricket legend Richie Benaud.
Hughes was 63 not out when he was struck by a bouncer at the SCG in a Sheffield Shield match.
“It’s been an incredibly sad time since Phillip’s passing,” CA chief executive James Sutherland said.
“With the international season re-commencing on Tuesday, it is appropriate to pause once more and honour a modest hero who thrilled the nation.
“Soon after arriving in Adelaide, Phillip became a crowd favorite … this is an opportunity for those that embraced him so fondly to say goodbye.” Players and team management will also wear black armbands, while the memorial outside the gates will be maintained throughout the match.
Bureau Report
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