Australian stalwart and former skipper Ricky Ponting was rushed to the hospital on December 2, 2022, while commentating during Australia vs West Indies Test match. The match is being played in the Optus stadium Perth and was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital during lunch on the third day of the first Test. Ricky Ponting who is one of Australia's most successful skippers now works as a broadcaster and the coach for the reputed IPL franchise Delhi Capitals.
According to The Daily Telegraph spokesperson for Channel 7 said 'Ricky Ponting is unwell and will not be providing commentary for the remainder of today’s coverage. Fulfilling his commentary commitments, Ponting was at the Optus Stadium conducting his Seven Network commentary duties and that is when he started to feel unwell. As of now, it is being learned that Ponting suffered a heart scare, but sources close to the former skipper are yet to confirm the details about it.
After being on the broadcast for 40 long minutes, Ponting walked out of the comm box during lunch hour. Ponting was accompanied by his former teammate Justin Langer and was later sent to a hospital as a precautionary measure. As per the latest developments, he told his colleagues that he was feeling okay, but he did not return for the rest of the day.
In recent times, there has been a lot of awareness around the health issues of former cricketers. This happens after the recent death of Australian stalwarts Shane Warne and Dean Jones. Ryan Campbell too suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away due to it. Ricky Ponting is a winner of three World Cups, he has won two as a captain and one as a player. On the work front, he is associated with the franchise Delhi capitals in the Indian Premier League. During his international career, Ponting has played 168 Tests and 375 One Day Internationals.
