Friends and family of Phillip Hughes continue to wait for an improvement in his condition after he was left fighting for his life after being hit in the head by a bouncer at the SCG.

Hughes was rushed into surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital on Tuesday to relieve pressure on his brain and was in a critical condition in intensive care overnight.

An update on Hughes’ condition is not expected until Wednesday or Thursday, Cricket NSW says.

The Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and NSW was abandoned when the Redbacks batsman was struck in the head, just below the line of the helmet, by a Sean Abbott bouncer during the second session on day one.

After Cricket NSW doctor John Orchard performed CPR on the former Test opener on the boundary line, he was rushed to hospital in an ambulance.

The 25-year-old made his first class debut for NSW in 2007, playing five seasons for the Blues, and he had friends in both dressingrooms for the clash.

Players and official from both states have been offered counselling and have rallied around each other.

NSW players showed immediate concern for Hughes, including his good mate and former Test opening partner David Warner.

With Australian selector Mark Waugh watching on in the SCG stands, Hughes had made a well-timed 63 off 161 balls before he was struck down.

Michael Clarke is expected to miss next week’s opening Test at the Gabba having failed to recover from his troublesome hamstring injury and Hughes was in the running to replace him in the batting lineup.