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Ricky Ponting (Source: Twitter)
While commentating on the first Test match between Australia and West Indies at the Optus Stadium Perth, Australia legend Ricky Ponting experienced a health scare and was taken to the local hospital. The World Cup winner went for a walk after experiencing chest pain.
When he returned, he discovered that the pain was still present. Later, he confided in his former teammate Justin Langer about his discomfort. He was quickly taken to the neighbourhood hospital. He is currently back in the commentary booth and has filled the audience in on everything that happened during a video chat with Fox Cricket.
"I was sitting in the comms box halfway through the stint and got a couple of really short and sharp pains to my chest. I tried to stretch it out and get rid of it, and probably didn’t want to give too much away when I was on air," he told Fox Cricket.
"I had a couple of those incidents, got through the stint and went to walk to the back of the commentary box and got lightheaded and dizzy and grabbed the bench. I mentioned to JL on the way out, who was commentating with me, that I had had these pains in my chest and Chris Jones (executive producer) heard me and just reacted straight away and got me out of there. 10 or 15 minutes later, I was in the hospital getting the best treatment that I possibly could."
I think it is a great lesson for everyone: Justin Langer
Jones and the former Australian coach Justin Langer had taken the initiative to get Ponting to the hospital right away. "I knew if Ricky Ponting comes to me and says something is not quite right, well, you know something is not quite right. I think it is a great lesson for everyone. That after our 12 months, it has become very published, with Rod Marsh and Shane Warne, of course, Ryan Campbell, when someone says they’ve got something going on, then talk up," said Langer
"And it was good to see the little fella not being the tough guy, not being the Ice Man, and reaching out to his friends. And as Ricky said, we got some great care for him yesterday afternoon," he added.