A heartbroken Australia will emerge from the Phillip Hughes tragedy a stronger cricket team, Kevin Pietersen says.
And the former England batsman would know.
Pietersen said his English county team Surrey were shattered after the 2012 death of troubled 23-year-old teammate Tom Maynard, considered a future England star.
Maynard was hit by a train after running away from police.
But Pietersen said in the end it galvanised his team – and expected Hughes’ sad passing to eventually do the same for a currently inconsolable Australia.
“I know at Surrey when we lost Tom Maynard the Surrey dressing room, it came together – it was united,” he told Sky Sports UK.
“It moulded the dressing room.
“I think something like this, as horrible as it is, the Australian dressing room will become super tight.
“But it’s a dark day for cricket – it’s really sad.”
Pietersen said his heart went out to his old foes after witnessing from afar the emotional scenes outside the Sydney hospital when Hughes passed on Thursday.
Australian cricketers are yet to broach the subject of whether they should play next week’s first Test against India in Brisbane as they mourn Hughes.
But Pietersen backed a mentally tough Australian team to get through the ordeal.
“They are strong guys. They are a tough cricketing team,” he said.
“They are a tough nation. It will probably grow the bonds there.”
Pietersen also dedicated his The Telegraph newspaper column to Hughes – and the man who felled him with the fateful bouncer, NSW bowler Sean Abbott.
“This is not the time to have a debate about banning bouncers or introducing new safety measures,” he wrote.
“It is time to let his family and friends have space for the healing process and grief.
“The man who really needs our support at the moment is Sean Abbott.
“This is a sad and horrible time, but we need to encourage him to stay strong, and have a good career for Australia.
“It is what Phillip Hughes would have wanted.”
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