International players show their support

Update

The cricket community worldwide is in mourning today following the death of Phillip Joel Hughes, aged 25.

Cricket Australia announced the news with a statement from team doctor Peter Brukner. 

Read more here.

Earlier

Alastair Cook and his England team are in a state of shock at the plight of Australia batsman Phillip Hughes.

Cook and his teammates woke up in Colombo, where they are due to face Sri Lanka in the first of seven one-day internationals on Wednesday, to the grim news of Hughes' serious condition.

Hughes was rushed into surgery at a Sydney hospital on Tuesday after being struck on the head while batting for South Australia in their Bupa Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales.

Messages of concern, support and hope that the 25-year-old Hughes - who was struck just below the line of the helmet on the back of his head as he swivelled to try and hook a Sean Abbott delivery - will make a full recovery have been communicated throughout the cricket world.

Previously pressing issues such as the captain's form, and England's need to begin their World Cup preparation with some more convincing performances, were largely set aside as Cook instead spoke for his team in wishing and praying Hughes' condition improves.

"Since we woke up this morning, the whole team have been in a bit of shock all day," Cook said.

"All our thoughts and prayers are with Phillip."

Most of the England team have played against Hughes at some time, and three have been county colleagues in his stints at Middlesex and Worcestershire.

"It's a really saddening incident," added Cook.

"Fingers crossed, he can show the same fight he's shown throughout his whole career and he can pull through.

"The whole dressing room is just massively concerned for Phillip.

"As (for any discussion about) player safety (and equipment), at the moment it's kind of irrelevant. It's all about him, and his family and friends.

"This is just something very unexpected. For that tragedy to happen on a cricket field, I'd never heard of anything (like it)."

Related: Twitter tribute to Hughes

The Indian cricket team, currently touring Australia, also extended their best wishes to Hughes and his family.

"We join with the rest of the cricket community around the world to offer our support and prayers to Phil and his family as well as our friends within Australian Cricket," said a statement released on behalf of the team Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum says the plight of Hughes is a reminder of how tough a game cricket can be.

McCullum says the Black Caps' thoughts are with Hughes and his family and they wish him a speedy recovery.

"It's a tragic circumstance which has unfolded," he said.

"It's never nice to see something like that. We just hope that the best result happens and he comes out and can make a full comeback to the game."

Other member of the New Zealand side tweeted messages of support for Hughes.

The Black Caps are in the United Arab Emirates for a three-Test series against Pakistan, who had a batsman felled in the opening match in Abu Dhabi.

Opener Ahmed Shehzad was dismissed hit wicket on a career-high 176 when he fell in pain after a Corey Anderson short ball hit the side of his helmet.

Shehzad suffered a minor skull fracture and has sat out the remainder of the series, which concludes with the third Test beginning in Sharjah on Wednesday.

"There are some dangers in this game that we play and it's not often that it happens," McCullum said.

"But it does just remind you that it can be a pretty tough game that we play as well. You like to play the game hard, but you also don't want to see people get hurt."