Australian legend Ricky Ponting returned to work a day after suffering a health crisis while commenting on his country’s test against the West Indies.
The former Australia captain, 47, was rushed to hospital on Friday after complaining of chest pain.
“I probably scared a lot of people yesterday and had a scary little moment for myself,” said Ponting, the second-highest goalscorer in Test history.
“I feel great this morning, I’m all shiny and new.”
Ponting, who scored 13,378 runs in a joint-record 168 Tests for Australia and captained his country between 2004 and 2011, said he was encouraged to seek medical attention by former team-mate Justin Langer, who also comments for the Seven Network in Perth.
“I was sitting in the com box halfway through the relay and had some very short, sharp pains in my chest,” Ponting said.
“I tried to stretch it out and get rid of it and probably didn’t give too much when I was on the air.
“I crossed the relay, got up, went to walk to the back of the commentary box and got a little dizzy and dizzy and grabbed the bench.
“But I think the main thing is the fact that I was willing to share it. It’s a really good learning curve for me, especially with what’s happened in the last 12 or 18 months with very close people around us.”
The incident follows the sudden death of Australian legends Shane Warne and Rod Marais earlier this year.
“It’s good to see the little guy not being the badass, not being the ice cream man, reaching out to one of his friends,” Langer said.
Only Graeme Smith of South Africa can better Ponting’s 48 victories as Test captain, while the right-handed hitter also led Australia to victory at the 2003 and 2007 World Cups aged 50.
