Josh Baker death: Worcestershire have lost "brilliant guy and fantastic cricketer", says former coach
Shaftab Khalid, who used to coach Josh Baker, expressed his sorrow at the news of his former player's passing. According to Khalid, Worcestershire has been deprived of both a remarkable individual and an outstanding athlete.
The death of the 20-year-old athlete on Thursday will not be investigated by West Mercia Police because they believe there is no reason to suspect anything suspicious.
Khalid, who is the spin coach for the England Under-19s, trained the left-arm bowler when he was coming up in the junior leagues with Worcestershire and on the national team.
On Friday, Jos Buttler, the captain of England's white-ball team, and Jon Lewis, who coaches England's women's team, expressed their sympathy.
The topmost coroner of Worcestershire has verified obtaining a notice regarding the passing of Baker.
He stated that there are no additional details currently and they need to conduct more inquiries before providing any updates.
The news of Baker's passing was made known to the public only twenty-four hours after his impressive performance in a county second XI match with Somerset, during which he managed to take three wickets.
Khalid expressed the deep sorrow he felt on BBC Sport, as he had collaborated with him ever since he was 16 years old.
The county of Worcestershire has suffered the loss of a highly skilled cricket player and an exceptional and delightful person. He possessed a kind, unassuming, and pleasant personality.
Baker came into existence in Redditch and started playing professional cricket in 2021. He also played for the England Under-19s team before joining his hometown's county cricket team on a three-year deal in the previous year.
Throughout the different cricket formats, he participated in 47 games and managed to gain 70 wickets. He even had the chance to compete in two County Championship games this particular season. The most recent one was against Durham in April.
Khalid, who used to be an off-spinner for Worcestershire, stated, "Despite his young age when he received his professional contract, he made an effort to assist his buddies by acting as a mentor figure, similar to a big brother, to aid them in achieving their own professional contracts."
As a really young child, he was the center of attention in the dressing room. He had great rapport with all the coaches. He hailed from Worcestershire, which made playing for his county and eventually the England Under-19s team a dream come true.
He possessed exceptional cricketing skills across all formats and had a very promising future. However, life is unpredictable and can take unexpected turns. It is a valuable lesson for all of us to learn. His absence will be deeply felt.
The organization has extended an open invitation to everyone who would like to honor Baker's memory to come to their New Road headquarters today and leave their signature in a book of condolences.
Alex Gidman, an assistant coach to Lewis, was previously the head coach of Worcestershire when Baker secured his initial professional contract.
"I'm really surprised," Lewis shared. "I had a conversation with Alex and he seemed really upset."
The world of cricket is remarkably limited, and this reality is quite disheartening. The challenges that lay ahead for Josh's family, along with the players and staff at Worcestershire, will undoubtedly be significant. Our thoughts go out to all of them as they navigate this difficult time.
Buttler posted on Instagram saying: "Very sorrowful news. My heart goes out to Josh's kinfolk, acquaintances, and everyone at Worcs in my thoughts and prayers."
