Former Australia batsman and sports broadcaster Dean Jones has died on Thursday after suffering a massive heart attack in Mumbai, where he was stationed as a pundit of the IPL show The Dugout.
Jones was 59 at the time of death and is understood to have suffered a heart attack earlier in the day.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing away of Mr. Dean Mervyn Jones AM,” Star India, who Jones was a commentator for, confirmed through a statement. “He died of a sudden cardiac arrest. We express our deep condolences to his family and stand ready to support them in this difficult time. We are in touch with the Australian High Commission to make the necessary arrangements.
“Dean Jones was one of the great ambassadors of the game associating himself with Cricket development across South Asia. He was passionate about discovering new talent and nurturing young Cricketers. He was a champion commentator whose presence and presentation of the game always brought joy to millions of fans. He will be sorely missed by everyone at Star and his millions of fans across the globe.”
He was an icon of Australian ODI cricket and played a central role in Australia’s resurgence under Allan Border, which saw the side capture its maiden World Cup title at the Eden Gardens in 1987. Jones would go on to feature 164 times in the 50-over format, finishing with 6068 runs at an excellent average of 44.61. He finished his Test career with 3631 runs at an average of 46.55 including 11 centuries.
Post his playing career, Jones transitioned into a successful commentator and broadcaster.
