Australia batting legend Dean Jones passes away in India

Former Australian batsman and a much beloved commentator and mentor of the game Dean Jones passed away in India on Thursday.

According to reports by Indian media, the 59-year-old suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in Mumbai, where he had been invited to work as a commentator during the Indian Premier League.

The Aussie great had served as head coach to the Pakistan Super League franchise Karachi Kings and previously as coach and mentor to winning side Islamabad United in 2016 and 2018.

Earlier this year, he won the hearts of millions of Pakistanis after a video of him cleaning the dugout after a PSL match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings went viral. The video shows Jones picking up water bottles and packets of crisps and depositing them in a nearby bin.

He was looking forward to visiting Pakistan for the remainder of the PSL 2020 and even said that all of his side's foreign players were ready to do the same.

Take a look: Cricketing world reacts to death of Australia great Dean Jones

During his career as a batsman, he played 52 Tests and 164 One Day Internationals, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Jones was a part of the squad that won the 1987 World Cup. Following his retirement from all forms of cricket in 1997-98, he worked as a commentator and analyst, besides mentoring and coaching foreign teams.

The cricket legend was inducted into the International Cricket Council hall of fame in 2019.

'A void impossible to fill'

Karachi Kings released a statement expressing "shock and despair" over his demise.

"The community lost a true solider of the game passionately in love with the sport he both played and later went on to commentate on as well as coach; while the Karachi Kings have lost their guide, friend and motivator through the ordeals of the game both on and off the field," the side said.

The team recognised Professor Deano, or just Deano to most who knew him, as "a World Cup winner, strong advocate of player’s rights and game development, extraordinary game commentator, avid golfer,
champion coach, and a loving, committed family man".

They said Jones "has left behind a void that will be impossible to ever fill".

Paying tribute to his role as coach for the team, the statement said that
even though he joined the Karachi Kings family just a year ago, "he embodied the fighting spirit and pursuit of excellence this team stands for, quickly becoming the bedrock of the values each member of the Karachi Kings family aspired to".

"Deano is survived by his wife, Jane and two daughters, Isabella and Pheobe — and the whole Karachi Kings family. You will be missed, Coach!" it added.

'Great ambassador of the game'

Separately, Star India issued a statement announcing his sudden death, remembering him as "one of the great ambassadors of the game associating himself with cricket development across South Asia".

"He was passionate about discovering new talent and nurturing young cricketers," said the statement.

"He was a champion commentator whose presence and presentation of the game always brought joy to millions of fans. He will be sorely missed by everyone at Star and his millions of fans across the globe," it added.