Cricketer Phillip Hughes dead at 25, two days after he was struck in the head by a ball.

Phillip Hughes has died in hospital surrounded by family and friends, three days before his 26th birthday.

He never recovered from a devastating bouncer to the back of his head at the Sheffield Shield clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday afternoon.

The tragic development sparked a huge outpouring of emotion from the Australian and international community. 

Team doctor Peter Brukner said: 'It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away.

'He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday.

'He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends. 

'As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip's family and friends at this incredibly sad time.' 

Australian skipper Michael Clarke, who was a constant beside presence at St Vincent's Hospital this week, read out a solemn statement on behalf of Hughes' mum, Virginia, dad Greg, sister Megan and brother Jason.

'We're devastated by the loss of our much loved son and brother Phillip,' Clarke said. 'Cricket was Phillip's life and we as a family shared that life with him.

'We'd like to thank all the medical staff at St Vincent's Hospital and Cricket Australia. 

'We love you.'   

Outside the hospital, the first sign Phillip Hughes had died was when the players and friends who had been gathered in St Vincent's coffee shop left en masse to go upstairs to Hughes' bedside at 3pm.

A shocked looking Ricky Ponting and batsman Steve Smith left the hospital 45 minutes later, while others stayed behind still trying to take in the harsh reality. 

Vice-captain Brad Haddin soon re-emerged downstairs. Weeping and clearly distressed, he was comforted by family and friends. 

Hughes suffered an 'incredibly rare' and 'very freakish' condition, known as vetebral artery dissection.

‘There’s only about 100 cases ever reported, so this is incredibly rare,' Dr Bruckner told reporters.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the nation's thoughts and prayers were with the felled cricketer's family.

'What happened has touched millions of Australians,' Mr Abbott said. 

'For a young life to be cut short playing our national game seems a shocking aberration.' 

Cricket legends mourned the loss of the left-handed opening batsman from Macksville in New South Wales, who made his Test debut in 2009 at the age of just 20. 

He played 26 Test matches and made more than 1,500 runs, including three centuries. 

Jim Maxwell, ABC Grandstand's lead commentator, was overcome with emotion as he announced 

Hughes' passing on air on Thursday afternoon, which had left him 'absolutely numb'.

'It's absolutely shocking and I feel for his family and for Sean Abbott, who was the one who bowled that ball,' Maxwell told 702 ABC Sydney.

'I know that a lot of young players are going to be so traumatised and numbed by this.

'Apparently some of them in that NSW team were sitting in that dressing room up until midnight last night. They went back for a counselling session, while there was still the hope that Phillip may get through, but I think the blow that he sustained was so damaging... it's horrendous news.

'For this to actually happen in a match on a big stage and at a point where he was playing so well, I understand he was going to be called up to the Test team to replace Michael Clarke.

'It leaves you absolutely numb.'

‘You had to admire his spirit. He was very resilient, persevering – he’d been in and out of the team basically since he was a teenager.