Ricky Ponting was a very close friend of Warne. He and Shane Warne both played for Australia for a decade together and shared some of the best moments of friendship on and off the field.
Ponting expressed gratitude for Warne’s on-field assistance and friendship after retirement.
Ponting knew Warne better than anyone, having experienced multiple Test victories, memorable series triumphs, and a victorious World Cup campaign with the renowned figure throughout his 15-year international career.
While Ponting lived in the same Melbourne bayside neighbourhood as Warne and even played golf with him up to his death, the former Australia captain claimed there was one thing he would never be able to enjoy with his long-time buddy. During an interview with 7News, he said:
“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.
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.”
“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.”
“Even today I have had the TV on watching the tributes, but every time I hear his voice I have to turn it off.”
“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,” he added.
“I would say just how much I love him,” Ponting said tearily, when asked what he would say to Warne if he had the chance for one final conversation. I didn’t say that to him and I wish I did.”
“If you spent a day with him (it was amazing to) see some of the names flashing up on his mobile phone,” Ponting said.
“It was very rare for Warney just to be sitting at home. He would always try and find time for his friends and his family and that was one of his great strengths.
“The more people talking about Shane, the thing that will shine through will be just how loyal he was to family and friends and how loved he was.
“He had the energy that drew you to him and that is a trait that not a lot of people have,” he added.
Earlier on Saturday, Ponting had also made a post on social media for Warne. He wrote, ‘It is difficult to describe it in words. I met him for the first time when I was 15 years old. He gave me my pet name (Punter). We were together in the team for more than a decade. See all the ups and downs together. He was someone you could always rely on. I am proud to have played with the greatest bowler I have ever played with.”