Shikhar Dhawan and Ben Austin

NEW DELHI: Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has shared a heartfelt message following the death of 17-year-old Australian cricketer Ben Austin, who succumbed to injuries sustained during a training session in Melbourne.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Austin was hit in the neck while facing balls in the nets at Ferntree Gully ahead of a local T20 match. Despite being rushed to hospital and placed on life support, he passed away on Thursday — a tragedy that has left the cricket world in shock.“No words can ease the pain of losing someone so young. Ben Austin was only 17, with dreams yet to take flight. Thinking of his loved ones and the entire cricket family in this difficult time. Rest in peace, Ben,” Dhawan wrote on X.

His message resonated deeply with fans across both nations, as players and officials offered condolences and tributes to the young cricketer.The tragedy has revived painful memories of Phillip Hughes, who died in 2014 after being struck in a similar manner. It has also reignited discussions about safety measures in the sport, particularly the use of neck and stem guards at the grassroots level.Across Australia, clubs and fans paid tribute through the “Bats Out for Benny” campaign — placing bats outside homes and clubhouses. Flowers, bats, and jerseys were also left at the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club nets, where Austin trained.The WACA team wore black armbands during their Sheffield Shield clash, while Australia and India’s women’s teams also sported armbands during their World Cup semifinal.A moving minute’s silence was observed before the India–Australia T20I at the MCG, where a packed crowd of 100,000 stood in mourning — united in grief for a young cricketer whose life and dreams were cut heartbreakingly short.