"Sean Abbott: A Story of Resilience and Inspiration in Cricket"

25th November, 2014

We remember this tragic and unfortunate image from SCG where a young talent lost his life while following his passion.

Yes,I am talking about
Phil Hughes,” The man who remained 63* ”
*not out in our hearts forever.

But today lets talk about someone who took an equivalent blow on his life.

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SEAN ABBOTT.

He inspires me.



Why inspirational you say?
Lets read what Steve Harmison quoted on this incidence.

“There is a wider issue in all of this, a 25-year old has died playing the game he loved, but there is also a 22-year-old fast bowler who has to live with that for the rest of his life.”
—Harmison

International career

• Sean Abbott's talent was identified early when he was selected to make his limited-overs debut for NSW as an 18-year-old.
• However, his breakthrough season didn't come until three years later during the 2013-14 summer which saw him finish as the leading wicket-taker in the Ryobi Cup with 16, while taking 7 wickets in the Sheffield Shield.
• He went on to win the Steve Waugh Medal as the NSW Blues Player of the Year before receiving a call-up to the Australian ODI and T20 squads to play Pakistan in the UAE.
• Abbott took the prized wicket of Shahid Afridi in the first over of his T20 international debut, trapping him plumb in front with his fourth ball.
• Its needless to say that he was at the pinnacle of his career at that moment where just few weeks back he made both his T20 and ODI debut.
  But destiny had other ordeals for him.

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The day it happened

• When Sean Abbott made his Sheffield Shield debut for New South Wales in 2011, one of the team-mates who welcomed the quiet teenager into the fold was Phillip Hughes.
• As Hughes dropped to the ground, Abbott was the first man on the scene, cradling him in his arms.
• It was a harrowing moment for Abbott, who bowled the bouncer that struck former Australia Test batsman Hughes on his neck at the Sydney Cricket Ground in November 2014, which tragically led to his death.
• Everyone left the field that day but not Sean Abbott.
• The thoughts of that day will be in his nightmares throughout and will only leave him with one emotion,”Guilt”
• When he’s sitting at home at night before he goes to bed — that’s when the thoughts will start recurring in his mind.

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The Aftermath

• Abbott received counselling over the incident.
• All this started reflecting on his game.
• For a while he struggled to channel his aggression positively.
• His guilt disguised as anger can be seen on the field to which he admitted too.

“I got into a few bad habits when I first started and quickly had to get rid of those, I was just a bit loud on the field, getting a bit angry. I’d bowl a half-volley at the end of my over and be yelling at myself, and it’s not really a good look.”

• A coronial inquest in 2016 found that Hughes had made a "minuscule misjudgement" before he was fatally struck and no blame was attached to Abbott.

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The Recovery

• The family of Hughes showed their support for Abbott, including Hughes’ sister Megan who has spent “significant time” with the devastated cricketer.
• Everyone in the cricketing world knew what impact would this have on the 22 year old NSW pacer.
  But the sports fraternity stood tall in their support

“He’s got no questions to answer but I’m sure he’ll be feeling some guilt today and probably will be for a long time.I really hope Sean can get over it and we one day see Sean back playing for NSW and maybe Australia.”
—Mark Taylor
“A very sad day for the world of cricket. So sorry for Phillip Hughes and his family . Spare a thought for Sean Abbott.”
— Ian Botham
“Huge loss for our cricketing family. Deepest sympathy for Phillip's family,friends & associates. Sean Abbott in our thoughts & prayers also.”
— Viv Richards
“Phillip Hughes Death is so incredibly tragic... Thoughts go out to his family and to Sean Abbott in this very diificult time for them all”
— Andy Murray
“May those footprints in the sand now support another young man in need. SeanAbbott,”
—Gilchrist
“Another huge talent was also just doing what he loved...doing his job...and is brilliant at it.....SeanAbbott”
— Michael Vaughan
“What Sean has gone through has been an incredibly traumatic experience, as it has been for everyone who was present on the field that day,It’s a competitive sport. It’s professional sport and I really feel for Sean Abbott at the moment.You just worry that this could jeopardise Sean Abbott and his cricket career and we don’t want that.We want Sean Abbott to have the best possible career he can.”
—Clarke

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The Bounceback

• In January 2015, Abbott was named as Australia's young cricketer of the year.
• Abbott was part of the NSW side which won the 2015-16 Matador BBQs One Day Cup, taking 10 wickets at 19.40 in seven matches.
• He also played nine of the 10 Sheffield Shield fixtures, grabbing 21 wickets at 38.28.

• August 28, 2017 the Sixers announced that Abbott had re-signed with the club for three more editions of the Big Bash League.
• He played for New South Wales in the 2017–18 JLT One day cup and took 12 wickets, the most of any player in the team.
• Abbott was named the Sydney Sixers Player of the Tournament in BBL|06 after taking 20 wickets over 10 games.

• Abbott was bought by RCB in the 2015 auctions for 10,000,000 rupees.

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The Déjà vu
On 4 March, 2018,history tried to repeat itself when Abbott struck Will Pucovski with a bouncer, and Pucovski suffered a second concussion in two years, but he was able to walk to the medical tent unaided.

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The conclusion
The history indicates that his career was at its peak when this happened but the point you need to realise is Life doesn’t come with an UNDO button,however unfortunate events were.
After the incidence,Sean Abott was at the brink of his vulnerability where two wolves possessed his mind,one led to destruction and other to rejuvenation. His only choice was which one to feed and he made the correct choice.
So,to bounce back from a frame of mind where you are questioning your mere existence to regaining the momentum you lost in the battle with yourself is quite incredible and inspirational.

Going from min to maximum is Success but going through ebbs or tides continously and then reaching the maximum is creating History.

I sincerely hope to see him again performing his international duties

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