Former West Indian cricketer Phil Simmons – who knows better than anyone what Phillip Hughes is going through – has offered a message of hope and support to the stricken Australian batsman and the pace bowler who felled him at the SCG.

Hughes remained in a critical condition in an induced coma at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital on Wednesday, a day after being struck in the back of the head by a bouncer from NSW paceman Sean Abbott.

Test captain Michael Clarke, vice-captain Brad Haddin, Steve Smith and Moises Henriques were among the well wishers to again visit the hospital.

Tributes continued to pour in from around the world, with former greats Shane Warne, Vivian Richards and Michael Vaughan among those to offer their support to Hughes.

But the message that resonated the most came from Simmons, whose heart stopped before he required emergency brain surgery to remove a blood clot after being hit on the head by a delivery from English paceman David Lawrence in 1988.

Simmons left hospital after eight days, began playing again in four months and resumed his Test career the following year.

He played the last of his 26 Tests in 1996 and finished his 143-game one-day international career in 1999.

Simmons noted that Hughes was the same age as he was back in 1988 and that they shared the same Christian name.

“I think there’s an omen somewhere that he will pull through and I hope so,” he said.

“I was written off as never to play again and put in a long-term unit for head injuries, but I was out in eight days.”

Simmons also expressed sympathy for Abbott.

“A bowler is never to blame. It’s just one of those unfortunate things that happens once in every long while,” he told BBC Sport.

Australian team doctor Peter Brukner issued only the briefest of statements when he updated media on Wednesday afternoon.

“Philip’s condition is unchanged and he remains critical,” said Dr Brukner.

Hughes is in an induced coma and fighting for his life following emergency surgery to reduce pressure on his brain.

The SA-NSW match was abandoned on Tuesday following the accident, and Cricket Australia called off the other two Shield games in Brisbane and Melbourne on Wednesday after consulting players and the Australian Cricketers’ Association.

“Given how players across the country are feeling right now, it’s just not the day to be playing cricket and we understand that,” CA general manager of team performance Pat Howard said.

Cricket NSW assembled Blues players and staff at their Moore Park headquarters on Wednesday morning to ensure they received adequate support as they came to grips with the predicament of Hughes, a former NSW player.

“(The players) are doing it tough obviously,” Cricket NSW CEO Andrew Jones told Triple M radio.

“They were pretty shaken up yesterday; it’s not what you expect to happen in a game of cricket.

“Phil was in a pretty bad way when it happened and being opponents and former teammates and mates in many cases, they were the first responders … the first guys on the scene of what was a horrible accident.”

The SA players – most of whom returned to Adelaide on Wednesday – were also receiving counselling.

The popular Hughes was wearing a helmet when he was struck but manufacturer Masuri said he was not wearing their most up-to-date model.

“From the footage and pictures currently available to Masuri, it appears that Phil Hughes was struck by the ball to the rear of the grille and below the back of the shell,” the company said.

“This is a vulnerable area of the head and neck that helmets cannot fully protect, while enabling batsmen to have full and proper movement.”

With Australian selector Mark Waugh at the SCG, Hughes had made a composed 63 as he attempted to earn a Test recall for next week’s series opener against India.

He had been considered a leading contender to replace Clarke, who has a hamstring injury.

Shaun Marsh is now the frontrunner to take Clarke’s spot in the Test lineup.