Michael Clarke has always been a rock for his teammates during tough times but never has the Australian cricket captain been tested so hard in the days leading up to the death of close friend Phillip Hughes. When Hughes was struck by a ball during day one of the Sheffield Shield at Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday, the skipper was one of the first people by the fallen cricketer's bedside at St Vincent's Hospital. Since then, Clarke had maintain a near-constant presence at the Darlinghurst hospital - in Sydney's inner-city - for the past two days alongside the batsman's distraught family, hoping for a change in his condition.
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Michael Clarke was the first player at the hospital bedside of Phillip Hughes
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He was near-constant presence for past two days at St Vincent's Hospital
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Phillip Hughes died on Thursday, just three days before his 26th birthday
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Clarke read out family's statement following Hughes' passing
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Team doctor Peter Brukner said Clarke had been a rock of support for Hughes' family
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'Phillip has always been like a little brother to Michael,' Dr Brukner said
'@placeholder's efforts over the last 48 hours to support the family; the family was obviously going through a difficult time but I'm not sure they would have coped without Michael's assistance.