Adelaide: Vice-captain Brad Haddin said on Saturday the Australia team needs the support of fans as it gears up to play an emotional first Test against India in Adelaide next week. The Australian players are back in training for Tuesday’s series opener just days after gathering at Macksville in New South Wales for the funeral of their team-mate Phillip Hughes.
Hughes, 25, died on November 27 from bleeding on the brain, two days after being knocked unconscious by a bouncer in Sydney, plunging the cricketing world into mourning.“We need the support of the Australian public and everyone leading into this first Test,” Haddin told reporters at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.“We’re looking forward to playing and we need the help of everyone to enjoy the moment and just enjoy the game of cricket. Our job is to go and play cricket.”
“I don’t think you need to look too deep into what’s going to happen. You’re going to get a cricket game here on Tuesday, you’ll enjoy it and so will we,” Haddin said. “We get back to playing the game we love. I don’t think you need to complicate it any more than that.” Haddin was behind the stumps for New South Wales when South Australian batsman Hughes was fatally struck by a bouncer at the SCG.
The 37-year-old wicketkeeper replied in typical no-nonsense fashion when asked whether he would be mentally right to play the opening Test of the four-match series. “Yep,” was all he said.“Cricket is just a game,” he said, when asked if the sport will ever be the same again.
