Former Australia batsman and coach Dean Jones passed away on Thursday at the age of 59, following a heart attack in Mumbai.

Jones’ death was announced by Indian TV channel Star Sports, where he worked as a commentator on the Indian Premier League, which started this past weekend.

In a statement, Star Sports paid tribute to Jones’ dedication and commitment to the game of cricket over the years.

‘It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing away of Mr Dean Mervyn Jones AM. 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.

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‘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.’

Jones donned the famous Baggy Greens in 52 Test matches, while adding a 164 caps in the ODI format, scoring 18 centuries in the process.

Cricket Australia also paid its respects to Jones in a statement:

‘Jones won admirers the world over with his dashing shot-making and superb fielding. He was also a stalwart of Victorian cricket during the 1980s and 1990s and retired as the state’s leading first-class run-scorer.

‘Jones went on to become a highly-regarded coach and commentator. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2006 for his services to cricket and charity and was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2019,’ read the statement.