Picture Credit: Twitter
Shane Warne's untimely death at the age of 52 has shocked the entire world. It has not been an easy news to digest for the cricket fraternity, considering the amazing memories that everyone had with the forever charming and fun-loving Warne. Among the former cricketers, it was probably the toughest for Ricky Ponting - who was a dear friend of the former leg-spinner, having spent most of his playing days alongside as his captain and then as co-commentator after retirement.
The greatest bowler I ever played with or against: Ponting
As soon as Ponting got to know about the news, he took to Twitter and penned down an emotional letter for Warne. He wrote, "Hard to put this into words. I first met him when I was 15 at the Academy. He gave me my nickname. We were teammates for more than a decade, riding all the highs and lows together."
"Through it all he was someone you could always count on, someone who loved his family, someone who would be there for you when you needed him and always put his mates first. The greatest bowler I ever played with or against. RIP King. My thoughts are with Keith, Bridgette, Jason, Brooke, Jackson and Summer," he concluded.
The two legendary cricketers spent so many years together on and off the field, which is why Ponting literally broke down while talking about Shane Warne, post his demise. He somehow did gather himself and paid an emotional tribute to his former teammate and friend.
Ponting gets emotional while remembering Warne
Reflecting on the news of Warne's death, Ponting said, "I was shocked I think like probably the rest of the world. I mean I've got the messages when I woke up this morning. I went to bed last night knowing that I had to take my daughters for netball and then was confronted with what didn't seem quite real at that time."
The 47-year-old admitted that even now, it probably doesn't really seem like it's real for him. However, he then admitted that having had a few hours to digest it all, he can now only think about how a part of his life Warne was, while reflecting on a lot of those memories through the years.
"Halfway through my career when we turned up to do coaching clinics and whatever else, every young kid in Australia wanted to be more than one of the bold leg spinners. He is going to go down as one of the all-time greats of the game if not one the greatest. I've never played with a more better and competitive bowler, someone who changed and revolutionized spin bowling back into," he added.
