Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has paid his respects to Phil Hughes, who passed away earlier today at the age of 25.

Hughes failed to recover in hospital after being struck in the head by a ball while playing for West End Redbacks earlier this week.

Former teammates, coaches and opponents of the Australia batsman have been reacting to the tragic passing all day, with Pietersen the latest to add his condolences.

"It's a tragic loss to our great game," he told Sky Sports News. "He was developing into a fantastic cricketer.

"He was probably on course to do great things for Australia. It's a sad loss for sport, not just for cricket. It's a dark day for cricket. It's really sad."

Hughes played 26 Tests and 25 one-day internationals for Australia.

Written by
Daniel Lewis