Tribute to Dean Jones: Most natural cricketer, says former Australia captain Allan Border

Dean Jones died of cardiac arrest. He was 59.

Melbourne, September 24: Former Australia captain Allan Border said on Thursday (September 24) that his former teammate Dean Jones "revolutionised the game" after the latter died of cardiac arrest in Mumbai at the age of 59.

Border and Jones shared the Australian dressing room for much of their illustrious international careers.

Border said that Jones was "one of the greatest natural cricketers I've ever seen," according to Foxsports.com.au.

"He revolutionised the game and I loved him," he said. While Jones was known as one of the greatest ODI batsmen Australia has ever produced, he played an integral role for Australia in the famous tied Test in Madras in 1986, scoring an epic 210. Dehydration over the course of the innings had led to Jones landing in a hospital with a saline drip at the end of it.

"When he scored his 200 in Madras he was so dehydrated but he kept going. At 170 I said 'if you can't keep going I'll get a Queenslander on.'" said Border.

"Deano was unbelievable at the Test level but his aggression at the one day level will be remembered forever. He loved his family, cricket, golf and wine. I loved batting with him and he backed me and for that I will always love him."