Ricky Ponting Rushed To Hospital While Commentating During Aus Vs WI Match: Report

The incident happened when Ponting was commentating during Australia's first test against West Indies at Perth.

Former Australia cricket team captain Ricky Ponting

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Former Australian cricket team capatin Ricky Ponting was rushed to a hospital after suffering a heart problem while commentating during Australia's first test against West Indies at Perth on Friday, news agency Reuters reported. Ponting, who is part of the commentary team of Seven Network, apparently felt uneasy on live TV before being taken to hosiptal.

"Ricky Ponting is unwell and will not be providing commentary for the remainder of today's coverage," a spokesperson for broadcaster Channel 7 said in a statement to Australian media.

The Daily Telegraph reported that teh 47-year-old was rushed to Royal Perth hospital at around lunch time on Day three of the test match and was not on air for the afternoon sessions.

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Ponting was taken to the hospital in a car accompanied by his former Australia teammate and coach Justin Langer. Ponting reportedly told colleagues he was feeling "okay" at hospital.

In recent years, there have been several health related incidents among Australian former cricketers.

This year, two Australian legends -- Rod Marsh and Shane Warne -- passed away due to heart attack.

Dean Jones, another Australian batter, also passed away due to a heart attack in September 2020. Former Western Australia wicketkeeper and more recently Netherlands coach, Ryan Campbell, also experienced a cardiac episode in April this year.

Ponting, a legend of the game, has played 168 Tests, scoring 13,378 runs at an average of 51.85, with 41 hundreds and 62 fifties. In 375 ODIs, he scored 13,704 runs at an average of 42.03, with 30 centuries and 82 fifties. In 17 T20Is, he made 401 runs at an average of 28.64 and scored two fifties.

Ponting was a part of Australian team that won three consecutive ODI World Cups in 1999, 2003 and 2007.