The next Sheffield Shield round remains up in the air, as cricketers around Australia grieve the death of Phillip Hughes.

The first Test between Australia and India, slated to start in Brisbane on Thursday, was delayed and is set to be rescheduled or abandoned.

Hughes’ funeral is on Wednesday in Macksville and Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland said it was “out of the question” for players to be starting a Test the following day.

The same statement arguably applies to the Shield games in Sydney, Hobart and Perth – scheduled to begin on Friday.

As is the case with the first Test, discussions are ongoing about different scenarios regarding the three matches.

Player welfare remains CA’s priority.

NSW and South Australia, the two state sides where Hughes plied his trade in Australia, will both flock to Macksville to farewell their teammate.

Other states will also be well represented at the service.

NSW were fielding at the SCG when Hughes was struck by a bouncer on Tuesday.

They rushed to Hughes’ aid and urgently called for an ambulance, realising the seriousness of the situation.

It is unclear how they would feel about facing Queensland on Friday at the same venue where so many tears have been wept over the past week.

Hughes was a favourite son in SA’s dressing rooms, and his loss is also being heavily felt at Adelaide Oval.

The Redbacks are due to play Tasmania at Bellerive.

Some domestic players returned to grade cricket around Australia on Saturday, but not in Adelaide and Sydney where competition was abandoned as a mark of respect.

Optional training sessions started around the country on Monday, but Hughes’ desperately unlucky death remains at the forefront of players’ minds.