"I'm sure the broader public will understand that as well. Understand that we and the Australian Cricketers' Association will be supporting them and nobody will think ill of anyone who feels uncomfortable about it.
"Test cricket is a different game, it's not just going out there and playing a game of sport for a couple of hours ... it's a big step."
Test players David Warner, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and Nathan Lyon were in the field during last Tuesday's freak accident at the SCG.
Captain Michael Clarke, who last week was set to be scratched from the test squad because of his hamstring injury, will desperately want to be on the field to help teammates get through.
Conjecture about the make-up of an XI is usually standard practice before a test series, but there will be nothing normal about the next week.
"I'm not going to jump ahead to that," Sutherland said, when asked about player availability.
"There will be a great temptation for people to speculate about who's going to play and how they're feeling, I'd just encourage everyone to give the players their space. Let them, in their own way, work through it.
The series was scheduled to start tomorrow in Brisbane and Adelaide was due to hold the second test from December 12. Brisbane will now host the second test, starting on December 17, and the third test will start on schedule in the traditional December 26 Boxing Day slot at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The fourth test to be held in Sydney has been pushed back to January 6.
Sutherland said it was not by design that the first test would be at Hughes' adopted home ground in Adelaide "but it will take on extra special significance".
Hughes died last Thursday after being struck on the head or neck behind the left ear by a short-pitch ball during a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.
"Nobody should underestimate just what these players are going through right now," Sutherland said.
"These are difficult days and we need to support them in dealing with their grief. It's very clear that playing a test right now is just too soon and we are reacting accordingly."
Sutherland said the revised schedule was far from perfect, but the Hughes family had been the priority. He said he was grateful to the Indian team and the Australian state cricket boards for accommodating the last-minute changes.
"A concern with these changes has been creating congestion within the cricket calendar by holding four test matches in 33 days," he said.
"We knew that if we started any later than December 9, that congestion would only get worse."
Sutherland said a range of tributes would be prepared for Hughes, who played 26 tests for Australia.
Changes were afoot when the India team stayed in Adelaide on Monday rather than going to Brisbane ahead of the first test.
Stand-in captain Virat Kohli and a number of other Indian players and officials are expected to attend Hughes' funeral in Macksville, on the New South Wales state mid-coast.
"The BCCI has shown great empathy and understanding which we truly appreciate," Sutherland said.
"They put the cricket community's concerns for the Hughes family well ahead of their own preparation."
Test schedule
December 9, Adelaide
December 17, Brisbane
December 26, Melbourne
January 6, Sydney
