First Test between Australia and India at Brisbane in doubt following Phillip Hughes's death

India’s tour match against CA XI was cancelled

Following the unfortunate death of Philip Hughes that shook the entire cricketing fraternity, the first Test match between Australia and India that is scheduled to start on December 4 in Brisbane is in doubt.

The 25-year-old left-handed batsman was struck on the head by a rising delivery from Sean Abbott during a Sheffield Shield game against New South Wales. The Australian failed to recover from an induced coma and breathed his last on Thursday.

Captain Michael Clarke, a very close friend of the southpaw, was near his bedside almost the entire time, extending his support for the Hughes family. Top Australian players who are a part of the Test squad against India like David Warner, Shane Watson, Nathan Lyon and Brad Haddin were on the field when the tragic incident took place.

The entire cricketing world plunged into a state of mourning, and the Australian cricketers are shattered by the loss of their close friend. The Test team was summoned to the Sydney Cricket Ground and emotions were running high.

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland told a media conference, "I suppose the starting point is they are grieving, and they've lost someone that is incredibly close to them. I think there is enough that we understand about grieving process to know that it's really important to give people time, and people will respond in different ways to what they're going through.

"Six or seven days is not a long time, but right now with where we all are, it seems like a million miles away," he added, referring to the first Test in Brisbane which will start next Thursday.

Pat Howard, CA’s executive general manager of team performance, reiterated that cricket is the last thing on the mind of the players at this moment, and they are simply focusing on helping the players recover on a day to day basis.

"We're not going to talk about the first Test," Howard said. "We know it's there. What we're focused on is today. We've brought the whole team in. The Australian Test team [is] here. Today is about grieving, about dealing with the questions.

"We need to make sure the players are in the position where they can make strong choices, and that's not now. Any choices [will be made] with the Hughes family and where they are and involving them, and that's obviously not now either ... We'll do whatever we can, whatever the players need to deal and cope with this. We'll do whatever we can to help and support the Hughes family. We're going to focus on people first rather than the cricket."

So clearly, there is a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the first Test. Fears are that the match may be postponed or called off without a single ball being bowled.