Ricky Ponting opens up on health scare after rushed to hospital while commentating on first test

Ricky Ponting said he tried to brush off feelings of chest pain and dizzy spells and continue commentating on the Perth test match before he was forced to rush to hospital. 

The 47-year-old cricket legend was commentating on the first test match between Australia and the West Indies at Optus Stadium when he had to abruptly leave on Friday.

He went to hospital for heart tests as a precaution before he was given the all clear and allowed to return to his commentating duties on Saturday.

Ponting admitted he had ‘probably scared a lot of people yesterday’ after going through the ‘scary moment’.

Ricky Ponting said he tried to brush off feelings of chest pains and dizziness and continue commentating on the Perth test match before he was forced to rush to hospital

The 47-year-old cricket legend was commentating on the first test match between Australia and West Indies at Optus Stadium when he had to abruptly leave on Friday

‘I was sitting in the comms box halfway through the stint and got a couple of really short and sharp pains to my chest,’ he said.

‘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. 

‘I had a couple of those incidents, got through the stint and went to walk to the back of the commentary box and got lighthearted and dizzy and grabbed the bench.’ 

Ponting said he shared his symptoms with colleague and former teammate Justin Langer before it was decided he should go to hospital.

‘I mentioned to JL on the way out, who was commentating with me, that I had had these pains in my chest,’ he said.

‘[Executive producer] Chris Jones heard me and just reacted straight away and got me out of there 10 or 15 minutes later.’

Ponting said he had a ‘relaxing’ afternoon in hospital and a good sleep, and was returning ‘all shiny and new’ on Saturday morning.

The Test great said he had been put on high alert after a horror year in Australian cricket, with Shane Warne and Rod Marsh dying from shock heart attacks and Ryan Campbell also placed into an induced coma.

‘The bottom line is, the fact that I was willing to share it with JL and then your mate looks after you (is important),’ Ponting said.

The 47-year-old Test great said he had been put on high alert after a horror year in Australian cricket, with Shane Warne and Rod Marsh dying from shock heart attacks and Ryan Campbell also placed into an induced coma 

‘As people of our age, we are a little reluctant to share much or talk about our health and that is a good learning curve for me yesterday.

‘Especially with what has happened in the last 12-18 months to really close people around us.’

Ponting’s situation had earlier prompted current Test skipper Pat Cummins to send his best wishes.

Langer also highlighted the importance of raising the alarm.

‘If Ricky Ponting comes to me and says something is not quite right, then you know something is not quite right,’ Langer said.

‘It’s a great lesson for everyone that after our 12 months it has become very public with Rod Marsh, Shane Warne of course and Ryan Campbell.

‘When someone says they have something going on, it’s good to talk up and it’s good to see the little fella not being the tough guy, not being the ice man, and reaching out.’