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Phillip Hughes 63 not out, forever

Hughes always wanted to play cricket, and nothing else.

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Phil Hughes was due to celebrate his 26th birthday this weekend © Getty Images
Phil Hughes was due to celebrate his 26th birthday this weekend © Getty Images

By Devarchit Varma

“Just being in this squad is where I need to be. Playing or not playing, I’m happy to be in the squad and helping out the guys wherever needed. It doesn’t bother me about what happens here, I’m not looking too far ahead. Consistency is a big thing for me, having been in and out of the team. When I get another crack, I really want to try to be as consistent as I possibly can be,” said Phillip Hughes to ESPNCricinfo, during Australia’s tour of South Africa 2014.

When did the cricket fraternity, or even the world, realise that a cricket ball would be as damaging as it has been in the last three days, shattering the dreams of millions and taking away the life of a son, a friend, a teammate, and most importantly, a passionate cricketer who cared for nothing more than playing cricket and scoring heaps of runs? The 25-year old Phillip Hughes left the cricket field, which eventually everyone has to one day, but unfortunately, not on the terms that were acceptable, on 63 not out. How ironic was this?

Hughes was not just another cricketer coming through the Australian country side. Hailed as a teenage prodigy before he made his Test debut, Hughes rose to fame at the age of 20, blasting his way to back-to-back centuries against a mighty South African bowling attack in their backyard.

Picking up a delivery way outside the off-stump and dispatching it over midwicket, Hughes jumped like a kid who finally got a toy that he hankered for eternity, even before the ball cleared the ropes, to celebrate his maiden Test century.

Since that memorable outing in South Africa, critics spoke time and again against Hughes for having chinks in his armour. But Hughes, with his wide grin and invincible positive attitude took everything in his stride and yearned only to become a better player than he was yesterday. Cricket does not get such resilient characters every day.

It is a shame that cricket has lost a precocious talent, and it would certainly be a hard time for those who believed immensely in his talent and abilities. In India in 2013, among the rubble that Australia was reduced to, Hughes was exposed as well. However, keeping aside all the turmoil that surrounded that series, Hughes proved that he doesn’t necessarily belong to those non-subcontinent batsmen who are perennially meant to struggle. The innings of 69 off 147 balls, studded with 11 boundaries and a six at Mohali, proved that despite his fair share of troubles, Hughes had it in him to excel.

Unfortunately for Hughes, Darren Lehmann’s Australia fathomed the effectiveness of right-handers more over the southpaws for the Ashes 2013-14. Hughes got only two Tests earlier in England, and he delivered with a fine 81 not out — an innings that was blotted out by Ashton Agar’s heroics at Trent Bridge.

Despite being touted as Ricky Ponting’s ideal replacement for the coveted No. 3 slot, Hughes got only seven Tests to prove his mettle at that slot. He was tried at several positions, something that no batsman personally likes; yet his performances had proved that he was the 100-Test man as his friend and captain Michael Clarke put it, just a few days before his death.

Hughes always wanted to play cricket, and nothing else. He was not the one who was concerned about anything else that comes along with playing cricket at the international level. But this, unfortunately, will not happen anymore.

Hughes had a perpetual smile on his face. He was always among the hardest working guys around. He was doubted, thrown out, ridiculed, praised, and even seen as someone who would do justice to his talent one day.

Looking at his recent form, one reckons he was just about getting there. At Darwin against South Africa A, Hughes smashed 202 off 151 balls and then continued to score heaps of runs on whatever opportunities he got.

In that ill-fated Sheffield Shield game, Hughes was batting on 63 not out when he was hit. Had the catastrophe not happened, had he not have been hit, Hughes might have been selected for the first Test at Brisbane against India. Sigh.

Hughes, who did not want to replace a struggling Alex Doolan in Australia team in the recent Test series against Pakistan, just because his ‘mate’ was struggling (as told to The Australian), is not there anymore for us to know how good he was and how good he could be. It is a shame that Hughes remained a precocious talent, one that was doubted and taken apart at times, and his tragic demise has left every cricket fan shattered.

Complete coverage of Phillip Hughes’ tragic demise

(Devarchit Varma is a reporter with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)

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