Phillip Hughes injury: Shockwaves are so deep it could change the way Australia plays cricket

THE shocking injury to Phillip Hughes will reshape Australian cricket. The shock waves are so deep, they could even change the way Australia play the game.

Portrait of former NSW and Australian opening batsman Phillip Hughes is about to take on South Africa with Australia A. Hughes career started with back to back centuries against South Africa.

THE shocking injury to Phillip Hughes will reshape Australian cricket.

The Australian cricket scene has been an angry battle zone of mortar fire, landmines and careless whispers in recent weeks.

Then Hughes went down and a sombre, respectful, almost eerie ceasefire descended immediately.

The shock waves are so deep, they could even change the way Australia play the game, certainly this summer.

Will the Test attack be so brazen as to bomb the Indian batsmen with short balls?

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What if someone else got hit and seriously hurt? Is it really worth it?

And what about sledging? Doesn’t it all seem a little childish now?

Desperately sad events such as Hughes’ injury put life and sport into perspective.

Arguing over the merits of a niggly hamstring strain seem too trivial for words when a young man is fighting for his life.

Brad Haddin, Steve Smith and Moises Henriques visited Phillip Hughes at St Vincent’s Hospital.

The feuds which have dominated Australia’s cricket scene over the past month — Michael Clarke versus Cricket Australia and Clarke versus the selectors — have temporarily vaporised.

Bubbles of anguish have been pricked. Scorn has turned to sadness. Vendettas have vanished.

Focus has shifted from feuds, selections and injuries to the only thing that seemed to matter — Hughes’ health.

The issue of Clarke’s availability for the first Test was driving our sports-crazed nation mad until Hughes went down.

Suddenly it does not seem to matter at all. No one is talking about it.

Clarke is understood to be deeply grief-stricken by Hughes’ fate and did not leave the hospital on Tuesday until midnight.

CA were privately cursing Clarke on Monday but they must now respond to this crisis by trying to assist him to cope with the shocking event.

Not only are Hughes and Clarke great friends but Clarke never lost faith in Hughes’ ability as a Test batsman.

As recently as the just completed tour of the United Arab Emirates, Clarke was reportedly agitating strongly for a return for Hughes to the Test team.

Michael Clarke leaves St Vincent's Hospital after visiting Phillip Hughes.

At some stage Clarke and CA may butt heads again but the sting has been sapped out of every argument.

There is still plenty to be resolved but it should be done without any emotional fizz for all parties now have a wider appreciation of what really matters in life.

Tension may rise again between Clarke and CA but such is the grimness of the mood around the nation that all parties are aware that now is not the time to be a prima donna.

Even the vibe of Australia’s Test series against India next week has a suddenly mellow, almost flat and inconsequential feel to it.

Early in the week, feisty new Indian skipper Virat Kohli was promising to match fire with fire when his team took on the razor-tongued Australians.

Yet on Monday night he sent a particularly touching tweet about Hughes and the Indians have also sent further messages in private.

There is love, not war in the air.

Not since the death of David Hookes more than a decade ago has the Australian cricket world been so collectively distressed.

The pain is deep and it will be long-lasting.

Originally published as Phillip Hughes injury: Shockwaves are so deep it could change the way Australia plays cricket