Cricket: Ponting to decide on his future

Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting says the next few days will be crucial in deciding his international future, but insists he still has a lot to offer.

Ponting arrived home on Sunday morning following Australia's World Cup quarter-final elimination by India.

Some pundits have called for Ponting to be replaced as captain, but the skipper didn't sound like a man about to fall on his sword.

He was heartened by the support of senior officials, but said he didn't have a view on whether he should be replaced as captain following the planned review.

"The last couple of weeks there's been a few differing opinions out in the papers and out in the news about me and my future as leading the team," Ponting said.

"It's been nice the last week especially to hear some endorsement from Cricket Australia (CA) and the selectors about that position.

"But that's where the next few days are crucial to me as well. I have to really decide what I think is right for me and the team going forward.

"I still think I've got a lot to offer the team as a player and a leader."

The 36-year-old said he would know the right time to retire and didn't believe that was now, although he is prepared to play on without the captaincy and drop down the order if CA and himself believed that was the best way forward.

Ponting said his injured finger felt better than it did after it took another knock in the quarter-final and he definitely wanted to go on Australia's three-match one-day series of Bangladesh next month.

Having scored a century in the quarter-final loss, Ponting was hoping it would signal the same kind of late-career renaissance being enjoyed by Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar.

Australia has slumped to fifth in the ICC test rankings, but Ponting was adamant they should aim to regain the No 1 spot and not settle for mid-table mediocrity.

- AAP