"If Roy shook your hand, you had his word" - Ricky Ponting pays tribute to Andrew Symonds following his demise

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting delivered a touching tribute to his fellow teammate Andrew Symonds following the latter's tragic death on Saturday night. Ponting stated that it's scarcely believable that the former all-rounder is no more.

On Saturday night, Symonds crashed his car at Hervey Range, about 50 km away from Townsville. The 46-year old was the only one present in the vehicle as the cops revealed that despite the emergency services' best efforts, he did not survive. Symonds' death follows those of Shane Warne and Rod Marsh - both of whom passed away in early March.

Taking to Twitter, Ponting wrote:

"If Roy shook your hand, you had his word, that's the sort of bloke he was and that's why I always wanted him on my team. An extraordinary player and even better human being. Can't believe he's gone. Thoughts are with his family at this time."

The former hard-hitting cricketer is surivived by his wife Laura and two kids - Chloe and Billy. A teary Laura told News Corp on Sunday morning of his shock and revealed how wonderful a person her husband was.

Ricky Ponting was adamant about Andrew Symonds' inclusion in Australia's 2003 World Cup squad

Andrew Symonds. (Image Credits: Twitter)

Ponting had strongly endorsed the all-rounder for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. The then Chief Selector Trevor Hohns addressed Symonds' selection by saying, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:

"Andrew Symonds offers us variety and match-winning potential. His fielding alone makes him stand out from the crowd and there is also the option he gives us with the ball as he can bowl medium pace or off-spin. As a batsman he can score at a rapid rate and has the ability to change the course of a game. He is a player we feel is ready to offer us a consistent all-round package."

The late cricketer repaid the captain and the selector's faith by stepping up against Pakistan in Johannesburg. Symonds stepped in when Australia were 86-4 and scored a 125-ball 143 to lift them to 310. The defending champions won the game by 82 runs and beat India in the final.

The Queensland all-rounder was part of Australia's 2007 World Cup campaign as well. However, Symonds' disciplinary issues meant that he played his last international fixture in 2009 and retired from all forms of cricket in 2012.