Michael Clarke pays touching birthday tribute to late cricketer Phillip Hughes on his 32nd birthday

Michael Clarke has paid a touching tribute to late cricketer Phillip Hughes on what would have been his 32nd birthday.

In a picture shared to Instagram on Monday, the former cricket captain enjoyed a Vodka Red Bull as he stood behind a table which had Phillip’s pictures plastered onto candles.

‘VRB for you Bruz, happy bday mate,’ the 39-year-old captioned the image while adding Phillip’s test cricketer number 408 and his one-day international shirt number 64. 

Emotional: Michael Clarke [pictured] has paid a touching tribute to late cricketer Phillip Hughes on what would have been his 32nd birthday

Michael positioned the candles around a glass box which was home to both his and Phillip’s caps.

Three days earlier, Michael marked the six-year anniversary of Phillip’s passing with a series of posts on Instagram.

Michael shared a smiling selfie of himself and Phil, with both men wearing plain black baseball caps.

Tribute: 'VRB for you Bruz, happy bday mate,' the 39-year-old captioned the image while adding Phillip's test cricketer number 408 and his one-day international shirt number 64

Tribute: ‘VRB for you Bruz, happy bday mate,’ the 39-year-old captioned the image while adding Phillip’s test cricketer number 408 and his one-day international shirt number 64

Sad day: Three days earlier, Michael marked the six-year anniversary of Phillip's [right] passing with a series of posts on Instagram.

Sad day: Three days earlier, Michael marked the six-year anniversary of Phillip’s [right] passing with a series of posts on Instagram.

‘I’m still wearing our [cap emoji] bro. Miss ya everyday,’ he simply captioned the photo, before receiving an outpouring of support from his Instagram followers.

He also shared a series of posts on Instagram Stories, including a touching cartoon drawing of the two of them together.

The image featured Michael wrapping an affectionate arm around Phil’s shoulders as he faded away while they stood together on a cricket field.

Emotional: The 39-year-old former cricket captain marked the anniversary with a series of posts on Instagram on Friday

Emotional: The 39-year-old former cricket captain marked the anniversary with a series of posts on Instagram on Friday

Phil died on November 27, 2014, just three days shy of his 26th birthday, after being fatally struck in the neck by a ball during a cricket match.

Although he was wearing a helmet, the ball struck an unprotected area just below his ear, and he collapsed to the ground before receiving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

He was rushed to Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery before being placed into an induced coma, but he died two days later.

Tragedy: Phil died on November 27, 2014, just three days shy of his 26th birthday, after being fatally struck in the neck by a ball during a cricket match. Pictured together at a cricket match in South Africa in March 2009

Tragedy: Phil died on November 27, 2014, just three days shy of his 26th birthday, after being fatally struck in the neck by a ball during a cricket match. Pictured together at a cricket match in South Africa in March 2009

Michael kept a vigil at his friend’s hospital bed, before later giving an emotional eulogy at his funeral.

‘I don’t know about you, but I keep looking for him. I know it’s crazy, but I expect any minute to take a call from him or to see his face pop around the corner to call me into the next room for a story and a laugh,’ he said. 

In an interview with The Weekly Review in November 2017, Michael said he regretted not walking away from cricket sooner after Phil’s death, choosing to retire in 2015. 

Upsetting: In an interview with The Weekly Review in November 2017, Michael said he regretted not walking away from cricket sooner after Phil's death, choosing to retire in 2015. Pictured during a tribute to Phil at a cricket match in Adelaide in December 2014

Upsetting: In an interview with The Weekly Review in November 2017, Michael said he regretted not walking away from cricket sooner after Phil’s death, choosing to retire in 2015. Pictured during a tribute to Phil at a cricket match in Adelaide in December 2014

‘I shouldn’t have played another game. My career should have stopped then. It was too hard for me,’ he said, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.  

‘It took me a lot longer to grieve his loss than it should have, or that I would have liked.

‘I didn’t allow myself to grieve at the time because I had responsibility to his family, firstly, but then also as Australia’s cricket captain to my teammates and getting us back out onto the field.’

Difficult: Michael kept a vigil at his friend's hospital bed, before later giving an emotional eulogy at his funeral. Pictured reading a statement on behalf of Phil's family in Sydney in November 2014

Difficult: Michael kept a vigil at his friend’s hospital bed, before later giving an emotional eulogy at his funeral. Pictured reading a statement on behalf of Phil’s family in Sydney in November 2014

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