And says a cricket legend: Dean Mervyn Jones dies in Mumbai!

Dean Mervyn Jones, DM Jones as he appeared on Australian scorecards in the mid-1980s and early 1990s for both Tests and One Day Internationals (ODIs), passed away suddenly in Mumbai of massive cardiac arrest on September 24, 2020. I was in town for being part of the broadcast team operating out of Mumbai for the ongoing new and normal Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL13). Dean reportedly got into an argument and was later chatting with others in the hotel lobby when he suddenly collapsed and fell to the floor. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. He was only 59 years old and in very good health. Well, in these bleak times of COVID-19, death no longer needs an excuse to strike. The death of Dean Jones is a great tragedy for the world of cricket and a terrible shock for all cricketers, commentators and lovers of the game.
We remember Dean Jones as the impressive Australian number 3 batsman when Australia had been a formidable opponent beating every international cricket team including India with ease under the respective captaincy of Allan Border and Steve Smith. Dean was named to the Australian squad in 1984 during their tour of the West Indies and played 52 Tests until 1992 when he was dropped in controversial circumstances. In his Test career, DM Jones scored 3631 runs with 11 centuries and 14 half centuries, his batting average an excellent 46.55. He was just as successful in the ODI format scoring 6068 runs, 7 centuries, 46 half centuries throwing up a very healthy average of 44.61. He was one of the best batsmen in the world during his tenure according to the relevant ICC rankings. He was named Cricketer of the Year in 1990 in recognition of his outstanding performance on the successful 1989 Ashes Tour. He was also part of the victorious Australian team at the 1987 ICC Cricket World Cup held in India.
Among millions of cricket lovers around the world we also remember him especially for his performance in the historic third Test against India in Chennai (Madras then) in September 1986: under extremely wet conditions, Dean Mervyn Jones, suffering bouts of dehydration in the field, he scored a finishing 210 runs in the first Australian innings of a massive 574 for 7 declared. That Test match became only the third drawn Test in world cricket with India, setting up 348 runs to win on the fifth and final day, with the hosts making 347, scoring level. Dean Jones played his last ODI against South Africa in 1994.
After his rather controversial departures from the Test and ODI formats, Dean Jones continued to command the spotlight as a commentator on live cricket matches and tournaments, and as a live TV presenter on various TV sports series. His special love for India brought him here very often, taking part in various new cricket talent scouting and humanitarian projects, and it is truly tragic that he should take his last breath in the cricket city of Mumbai. Dean Jones had always been energetic, dramatic, humorous and outspoken in his roles as commentator and presenter. His statements of speaking with his mind often got him into trouble, both during his time as a player and as a commentator, leading to dismissals from the team or breach of contracts.
A cricket legend goes to the heavenly abode; sad, shocking and untimely death of a spirited former cricketer, commentator, TV presenter and cricket manager. He will always be remembered as the outstanding Australian number 3 batsman who came on after the fall of one of the legendary openers, Marsh and Boon, invariably delighting his home fans and all other cricket lovers around the world with aggressive attacking shots. : four. and six galore. We deeply regret the death of a cricket legend.
On a personal level, I would like to mention another tragic loss of a prominent doctor, Dr. Ashwini Kumar Sarma, in a village in Assam on September 18, 2020; not because he was my brother-in-law, but because of the striking similarities between the two tragedies. The doctor also succumbed to unexplained massive sudden cardiac arrest during his afternoon nap and it was all over in just five minutes. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead on arrival, before anyone could guess what happened. He was also 59 years old and in reasonably good health. Humans cannot understand the strange ways of Death, ever.