Former Australia cricketer Dean Jones has died of cardiac arrest at the age of 59, Indian broadcaster Star India confirmed in a statement on Thursday.
Jones, considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of his generation, had been commentating on the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Mumbai and his sudden death prompted tributes from across the world.
“We express our deep condolences to his family and stand ready to support them in this difficult time,” read the statement from Star India.
Jones played 52 Test matches and 164 one-day internationals for Australia in a glittering international career that spanned 10 years.
He won the World Cup with his country in 1987 and was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame just last year.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was quick to pay his respects to “an absolute cricketing legend.”
“A true entertainer at the crease, whose flair with the bat & electric running between the wickets changed the game forever. A genuine good guy & a huge loss,” Morrison tweeted, sending his thoughts to Jones’ family and friends.
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One of Australia’s current cricket captain Aaron Finch said he was still in shock after hearing the news and sent his thoughts to those closest to Jones.
“A great man with an amazing passion for the game,” Finch wrote on Twitter.
They were thoughts echoed by Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who said he was greatly saddened by the news.
“A wonderful soul taken away too soon. Had the opportunity to play against him during my first tour of Australia,” Tendulkar wrote on Twitter.
“May his soul rest in peace and my condolences to his loved ones.”
Jones retired from all forms of cricket in 1998 before embarking on a career as a coach and commentator.
Perhaps his most memorable career moment was against India in 1986, when he battled heat exhaustion to record a staggering double century.
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