Michael Clarke: I never had a blood brother but he was my brother

Emotions ran high on the opening day of the New Year's Test between India and Australia as injured skipper Michael Clarke led a series of tributes for late Phillip Hughes, who was fatally struck by a bouncer six weeks back at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Clarke, who is part of the Channel Nine team, has been been with the Hughes' family since the fateful incident took place on November 25 and once again gave voice to his emotions in the first international match at SCG after the tragic events of 25th November 2014.

"This was his ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground," Clarke said in a Nine Network tribute, on Tuesday. "I never had a blood brother but he was my brother. Together we enjoyed life and celebrated each others' successes. When he made runs, when I made runs, it felt like we made our hundreds together. His love of life, it helped me get out of bed in the morning, I didn't want him to beat me at anything, yet loved it when he did," he added.Clarke also spoke of Hughes' resilience. "A good guy who fought for everything he ever got and then fought some more, who never gave up," he said.

In another moving tribute, the Sydney crowd stood to applaud when it was announced during the pre-match ceremony that Hughes's parents Greg and Virginia and siblings Jason and Megan were in attendance. Players of both teams, who stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the Members Pavilion ahead of the national anthems, also joined in the round of applause from the crowd as an image of Hughes was displayed on the big screen on the eastern side of the ground. The authorities at SCG then unveiled a bronze plaque in memory of the Australian batsman. The plaque was placed outside the home dressing room in the Members Pavilion.

Meanwhile, on the field, Warner made his own personal tribute when he reached 63 -the score Hughes had reached before tragedy stuck - by bending down to kiss the brown patch of grass at the Randwick End that marks the spot where Hughes was felled.