Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting “loves” Shane Warne a lot that he tends to modify off his tv set on listening to the late spin king’s voice in it previously couple of days as he cannot nonetheless consider that his one-time team- mate is not any extra.
In an emotional tribute to Warne with whom he performed for a lot of his 15-year worldwide profession, Ponting mentioned he’s nonetheless struggling to grasp the sudden loss of life of his shut pal.
“It was so raw to me I couldn’t really speak and every time I thought about him and our experiences and our journey together and I just got short for words,” Ponting informed Isa Guha, on The ICC Review.
“Even right now I’ve had the TV on watching the tributes, however each time I hear his voice I’ve to show it off.
An emotional, must-watch interview as Ricky Ponting pays tribute to his nice mate Shane Warne and makes a pledge to honor him.https://t.co/hQRqp91yxT
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“It’s been a tough couple of days, but it makes us a bit more aware of things I probably need to pay more attention to and there is stuff there for all of us to learn.”
Ponting knew Warne higher than most having performed alongside the enduring spinner for a lot of his worldwide profession, the place the duo shared quite a few Test victories, memorable collection triumphs and a profitable World Cup marketing campaign in 1999.
But whereas Ponting lived in the identical Melbourne bayside suburb as Warne and even caught up for the occasional sport of golf all the best way as much as his loss of life, the previous Australia skipper mentioned there was one factor he won’t ever get to share together with his long-time pal.
“I would say just how much I love him,” Ponting mentioned tearily, when requested what he would say to Warne if he had the prospect for one closing dialog.
“I didn’t say that to him and I wish I did.”
Warne died on the age of 52 of suspected coronary heart assault on the Thai resort of Koh Samui on Friday, leaving the cricket world surprised and shell-shocked.
“I woke up nice and early I was getting the kids ready to go to netball and Rianna (Ponting’s wife) looked at her phone and told me the news about Warney,” he mentioned.
“I grabbed the phone out of her hand to look at it and I couldn’t believe it and it is still the same now,” mentioned the legendary batsman.
He vowed to make sure the champion leg spinner’s legacy continues by means of his interactions with youthful era.
“He (Warne) was a trainer by means of his commentary and I’ve seen a whole lot of images during the last 24 hours of all of the spinners he labored with. He helped Steve Smith in his youthful days and Rashid Khan has been catching up with him – simply think about the conversations they might have had.
“So I feel it is now up to me whenever I get an opportunity to just let the world know what he was like and pass on some of the things I learn from him.”
Ponting additionally mirrored on the particular reminiscences he had with Warne whereas additionally paying homage to the kind of man he was.
“If you spent a day with him (it was superb to) see a number of the names flashing up on his cell phone.
“It was very uncommon for Warney simply to be sitting at house. He would all the time try to make time for his pals and his household and that was one in every of his nice strengths,” Ponting mentioned.
“The extra folks speaking about Shane, the factor that may shine by means of might be simply how loyal he was to household and pals and the way liked he was. He had the vitality that drew you to him and that may be a trait that not lots of people have.”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
