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The death of Philip Hughes is a tragedy. His death is incredibly hard on family, friends and fans.
However, that is no reason to stop the next Test or to stop players who wish to play in the next Test.
Stopping the Test would be based on a ludicrous assumption – that players can’t play and grieve their friend and teammate at the same time. Try telling that to the Australian Defence Forces. Life goes on, sometimes with extraordinary pain.
And if they decide to cancel one Test, should they cancel two? Grief doesn’t work to an agenda.
It’s not just grieve this week and then things will be fine after that. I worked with one Olympic Golf Medallist who didn’t really struggle with the death of his mother until a year after her passing.
There maybe players who want to honour the memory of their friend by going into the next Test determined to do their very best work.
Yesterday, while Phil Hughes lay critical injured in hospital, Allan Border made these comments to Fox Sports – they are still equally appropriate today with this tragic news.
“There will be guys, particularly the guys that were out on the field at the time that are named in the Test squad, they mightn’t be feeling like playing cricket at the moment.”
“You’d understand if they wanted to pull out. But I think the game should go ahead. We’re all a bit numb at the moment. I get the feeling that Phillip would want the game to go ahead. But if the individuals don’t feel up it, then so be it.”
The Test should go on. Players who want to play in the next Test should play, and those who don’t, shouldn’t. It’s a simple as that.
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