Ponting is a legend of Australian cricket after a glittering playing career spanning 168 Tests and 375 ODIs.
Australian cricket has been rocked by a series of tragedies this year.
Rod Marsh died in February at the age of 74 after suffering a massive heart attack.
Shane Warne died from a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Thailand in March, while Andrew Symonds was killed in a car crash in May.
Former Australian cricketer Ryan Campbell was given just a 7% chance of surviving after being placed in an induced coma for seven days following a cardiac arrest in April.
Campbell survived that ordeal, and he led the Netherlands to a famous victory over South Africa at the recent T20 World Cup.
