Former Australia bowler and current Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie has expressed his support to New South Wales all-rounder Sean Abbott, whose bouncer led to the death of batsman Phil Hughes.

The 25-year-old passed away today at St Vincent's Hospital from serious head injuries after getting struck by the ball in Sydney on Tuesday.

Hughes was transferred to hospital after collapsing during the Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground and two days later, died of rare vertebral artery dissection.

"Abbott is a lovely young kid who was just running in and doing his job, bowling balls and it was one of the last things that he would have expected," Gillespie told Sky Sports News. "We are really feeling for him right now and everyone who was there.

"With all due respect I don't think that this is the time to talk about the safety issues and that sort of thing. Phillip's family are grieving, the cricket community are grieving, and his friends outside of cricket are grieving."

Abbott is said to have undergone counselling after Hughes was placed in an induced coma in hospital.