The Pakistan bowling great Waqar Younis has questioned whether the New South Wales bowler Sean Abbott will be able to continue in cricket after delivering the ball that led to the tragic death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes.
The cricket world is coming to terms with Hughes' death after he failed to regain consciousness following a blow to the base of his skull trying to hook a bouncer from Abbott, while batting for South Australia against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Hughes was due to turn 26 on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Abbott continues to receive an outpouring of support and well wishes from concerned team-mates and counsellors in Sydney with Australian Cricketers Association chief Alistair Nicholson saying Abbott's being monitored closely.
But Waqar wonders where it leaves the young all-rounder's future.
The Pakistan fast bowling great Waqar Younis wonders whether Sean Abbott will be able to play cricket again. Photo: Photosport
"How will he (Abbott) continue?," says Waqar, one of the outstanding fast bowlers of his generation and now Pakistan's coach.
"He needs counselling, which I am sure must have started, and needs to stay calm."
But former England fast bowler David Lawrence says he fears Abbott may never player cricket again as a result of the tragedy.
Lawrence is well-placed to understand Abbott's situation having, as a 24-year-old paceman, bowled the ball that hit West Indies' batsman Phil Simmons - who wasn't wearing a helmet - on the head in a tour match.
Simmons went on to make a full recovery but only after his heart stopped and he underwent emergency brain surgery.
"He collapsed. They rushed him to hospital, and were able to save his life and take a blood clot off his brain - and he subsequently went on to play again,"
Lawrence said the fact he could talk to Simmons was a huge help and he wondered how Abbott would be able to continue bowling in the absence of such consolation.
"What gave me comfort was I was able to see Phil Simmons 48 hours after, and he was able to tell me it wasn't my fault," recalled the now 50-year-old Lawrence.
"The bowler in this instance wouldn't have been able to do that. Hughes didn't make a recovery, he (Abbott) wasn't able to talk to him."
"So my thoughts go out to him as well - because whether he will come back from this or not, personally I don't think he'll play cricket again."