***Official*** India in Australia 2014-5

[Pratters]

This is a death in unnatural circumstances. It is not even a death which has happened due to a disease like in the case of Archie Jackson, and even that was tragic. These players have played with Hughes, some have known him for years and most would be too affected to play professional cricket right now. I don't care how tough you are, you should be given time to recover after such a death and cricket is not bigger than humanity. I really don't see how this first test can go on, no matter what any BCCI spokesperson may feel.

 

[Burgey]

Yep, if you worked in an office and a family member died your boss would give you two weeks to a month off to recover and take care of anything. These guys should get the same, no way they cancel the whole summer.

The difference here is that he was a co-worker and friend of everyone *in* the office. I don't know what the answer is, but I'd be astonished if the Australian blokes would be capable of fronting up next week.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Can't play that test next week. No Australian player will be ready for it and rightly so. Hope it is called off.

 

[social]

There is also the small matter of a funeral and I'd imagine that would take place later next week

Anyway, I can imagine that some players would want to play as a mark of respect to Phil but I cannot really see them being in a fit state to do so

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Yeah, even if the family put the funeral back to after the test the players will be going through the motions mentally during it knowing that it is coming up straight after. Just cancel it, rearrange it if possible but don't put any pressure on players to go out and play.

 

[Blocky]

Yea I don't know if fast bowlers around the world are going to be willing to bowl short and quick anytime soon after this news.

Of course they are.

Chatfield was struck in the head and clinically dead on the wicket, the bowler involved was bowling bouncers in the very next match.

This was an absolute freak incident, milimetres were all it took between life and death and I think that must be kept in mind for all future cricket.

 

[greg]

Can't play that test next week. No Australian player will be ready for it and rightly so. Hope it is called off.

When will they be ready? I think people rather underestimate the fortitude of professional sportspeople. It is not easy to carry on when tragedy strikes, but this is not a unique occurrence in the wider sporting world (motor sport being the most obvious example). One could even draw a fairly recent cricketing analogy (in how the players would react) with Ben Hollioake's death in 2002. Obviously the decision should be down to every individual player (and each may see it differently), but i don't think a decision not to play should be imposed on them from above because of some perceived opinion on how they are all expected to react.

 

[howardj]

It's different for everyone

Collingwood played a final last year two days after a teammate's funeral

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Phil wouldn't have wanted his friends forced into playing just because they thought he'd want them to.

 

[Howe_zat]

Whatever they decide, there should be no pressure on any player to go out there and play.

I think if there is a match, there will clearly be pressure to play, implicit or otherwise

 

[Daemon]

It should be entirely up to the players. Different people may deal with tragedies differently. Kohli found it in him to take the field a day after his father passed away and Collingwood played on too. Not everyone may feel that's the best way forward and some may just be too shattered to even contemplate playing. If there isn't mutual agreement within the team to play on to honor him then it's just not right to continue on with the Test.

I'm sure CA will have a chat with them and find out their feelings to make the best decision possible.

 

[Cevno]

Agree with what Alan Border has said that the Test and series should carry on but no one forced to play if they don't want too.

First Test should go ahead: Border | cricket.com.au

Maybe the first test can be cancelled if many players aren't in position but don't think the Series should at all.


Ultimately Australia will have to play again sometime. Domestic Cricket will have to restart soon. Better to do it sooner rather than later really.

While this is a kind of a Unique tragic even in Cricket and regarding a International cricketer on the field, this kind of tragedy or it's parallel's has happened before in other sports and ultimately they all had to carry on as well in days.

 

[greg]

I think if there is a match, there will clearly be pressure to play, implicit or otherwise

The basic assumption would be that those selected would play. Clearly anyone not mentally ready should be omitted (and treated sympathetically). If this turned out to be the entire team, then it would have to be reassessed, but i really doubt that would be the case. All precedents suggest that most would be OK. I don't know who his particularly close friends were who might be the exception. But i don't think it should be the role of the authorities to assume the reaction of the players and just cancel the match.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Agree with what Alan Border has said that the Test and series should carry on but no one forced to play if they don't want too.

First Test should go ahead: Border | cricket.com.au

Maybe the first test can be cancelled if many players aren't in position but don't think the Series should at all.


Ultimately Australia will have to play again sometime. Domestic Cricket will have to restart soon. Better to do it sooner rather than later really.

While this is a kind of a Unique tragic even in Cricket and regarding a International cricketer on the field, this kind of tragedy or it's parallel's has happened before in other sports and ultimately they all had to carry on as well in days.

Border ssaid that before Hughes passed away tbf.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Agree with what Alan Border has said that the Test and series should carry on but no one forced to play if they don't want too.

First Test should go ahead: Border | cricket.com.au

Maybe the first test can be cancelled if many players aren't in position but don't think the Series should at all.


Ultimately Australia will have to play again sometime. Domestic Cricket will have to restart soon. Better to do it sooner rather than later really.

While this is a kind of a Unique tragic even in Cricket and regarding a International cricketer on the field, this kind of tragedy or it's parallel's has happened before in other sports and ultimately they all had to carry on as well in days.

But if the test goes ahead the players WILL feel obliged to play, they're professional cricketers ffs. No matter how much they say there's no pressure to play the players will still feel there is.

 

[GIMH]

Then it's analogous to any of the many dangerous professions out there. No one gets months to recover before going back to work.

Dunno about in India/Aus, but it's not uncommon at all in bereavement cases in the UK. Would usually be a close relative not a team mate of course, but it's simply untrue that no one gets months to recover before going back to work.

 

[duffer]

The difference here is that he was a co-worker and friend of everyone *in* the office. I don't know what the answer is, but I'd be astonished if the Australian blokes would be capable of fronting up next week.

Read my follow up post.

edit: Actually don't.

 

[duffer]

If anything it'd be the Indians who'd be more afraid of playing on lightning quick wickets here. Has to go ahead.

 

[Adders]

Well lets just hope that the right decision is made and for the right reasons......whatever it may be.

 

[Howe_zat]

The basic assumption would be that those selected would play. Clearly anyone not mentally ready should be omitted (and treated sympathetically). If this turned out to be the entire team, then it would have to be reassessed, but i really doubt that would be the case. All precedents suggest that most would be OK. I don't know who his particularly close friends were who might be the exception. But i don't think it should be the role of the authorities to assume the reaction of the players and just cancel the match.

I guess what I'm saying is, do you really want to be one of a couple of players who withdraw? Obviously they would be treated sympathetically, but for anyone like me at least, it would be so hard to shake off the feeling you were letting the team down if other people were okay. I'd rather the authorities not force any players into having to make the decision.