Australia-India 1st Test postponed

The first Test between Australia and India has been postponed to allow teammates to mourn the death of Phillip Hughes at his funeral on Wednesday, Cricket Australia (CA) said.

The Test was scheduled to start in Brisbane on Thursday, a week after batsman Hughes died at the age of 25 as a result of being struck on the head by a ball at the Sydney Cricket Ground two days earlier.

Given the close proximity of the funeral in his hometown of Macksville to the start of the four-match series, CA said it would be unreasonable for the Australian players to be expected to play.

“These are extraordinary circumstances and we simply couldn’t or wouldn’t expect our players to be emotionally ready to start a Test match the day after farewelling one of their teammates,” CA chief executive James Sutherland said in a news release.

“Their welfare is our absolute priority. They are grieving and to expect that they could play a high-pressured, five-day test match the following day is out of the question.

“We appreciate the incredible understanding and support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. It has been nothing short of outstanding during these difficult times.”

Sutherland asked for patience from cricket fans while a new date was found for the Test.

The second Test is scheduled to take place in Adelaide from December 12-16 with the third starting on Boxing Day (December 26) in Melbourne.

The fourth and final match in Sydney running from January 3-7.