Philip Hughes died in a Sydney hospital yesterday, two days after being hit by a bouncer from Abbott. Hughes, 25, was struck in an artery in the neck, causing a haemorrhage in the brain. Doctors said the incident was "incredibly rare", with only 100 such cases reported and only one case reported as a result of a cricket ball.
While fans, officials, friends and family grieve at the passing of Hughes, many have also focussed on 22-year-old Abbott's emotional wellbeing.
Former Aussie fast bowler Jason Gillespie told Fox Sports, Abbott had the cricketing world at his feet, but that the bowler is badly shaken by this week's events.
"It will just come down to the support he gets from everyone around him," Gillespie said.
"He was just doing his job and I just really feel for him."
British talk show host and high profile cricket enthusiast Michael Parkinson, told the ABC, he saw first-hand the impact of a similar incident involving New Zealand player Ewen Chatfield in Wellington in 1975.
"I knew Peter Lever, the English bowler who hit Ewen Chatfield, the New Zealander on the temple, in the days when they didn't wear helmets and he nearly died." Parkinson said.
"Peter was never the same man, let alone the same bowler after that."
But Cricket Australia Chief executive James Sutherland said Abbott was holding up well.
"What we will do, and relevant experts will do, will be to provide Sean with all of the support he needs to work through this," he said.
"But right now I can say is that he is holding up very well and I'm incredibly impressed with him.”
Phillip Hughes would have celebrated his 26th birthday on Sunday.
