Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones has died of a heart attack, aged 59.
The Australian cricket great was in Mumbai as part of Star India's commentary panel for the Indian Premier League when he collapsed around midday, Thursday (local time) in the hotel he was staying in.
Former Aussie bowler Brett Lee rushed to his aid and performed CPR in a desperate attempt to revive him, but he was unable to save Jones.
Jones won the World Cup with Australia in 1987 and played 52 Tests and 164 one-day internationals in an international career that spanned 10 years from 1984.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to "an absolute cricketing legend" as he sent his condolences to Jones's family.
"A true entertainer at the crease, whose flair with the bat and electric running between the wickets changed the game forever. A genuine good guy & a huge loss," Morrison tweeted.
Former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar said he was heartbroken.
"A wonderful soul taken away too soon," Tendulkar said. "Had the opportunity to play against him during my first tour of Australia. May his soul rest in peace and my condolences to his loved ones."
One of Jones's most memorable innings came in the tied test against India in Chennai in 1986, when he battled extreme heat and physical exhaustion to notch a memorable double century.
Jones ended his career with 3,631 runs in tests at an average of 46.55 with 11 hundreds and 14 half-centuries, and over 6,000 runs in ODIs with seven centuries and 46 fifties.
Earl Eddings, chair of Cricket Australia, said Jones would be sorely missed by fans around the world.
"Dean Jones was a hero to a generation of cricketers and will forever be remembered as a legend of this great game," says Eddings.
The cricketing fraternity took to social media to pay tribute.
"I can't believe this news. So very sad to hear about this. Rip Deano," Australian batsman David Warner tweeted while Steve Smith said Jones was a "wonderful player for Australia" who would be missed.
Jones retired from all forms of cricket in 1998, going on to work as a coach and commentator. He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2019.
Reuters
