New Delhi: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was taken to hospital after suffering a heart problem while commentating during day three of Australia’s first test against West Indies at Perth Stadium on Friday, reported Reuters.
Ponting left the ground around lunchtime and was not on air through the afternoon sessions as he felt unwell, reports said.
Notably, there has been greater awareness of health issues around former cricketers after the recent death of Shane Warne which followed that of Dean Jones in 2020, and the cardiac episode suffered by Ryan Campbell.
Ponting retired from international cricket in 2012. He took over the one-day captaincy in 2002 and replaced Steve Waugh as Test captain in 2004. He went on to become Australia’s most successful skipper with 48 Test wins.
After defeat in the 2005 Ashes series in England, Ponting led Australia to a 5-0 whitewash in the return series in 2007, topping the run charts with 576 runs at an average of 82.28. Australia won the 2003 and 2007 50-over World Cups under Ponting’s captaincy.
