Ricky Ponting 'open' to selection, coaching talks with Cricket Australia

Melbourne [Australia], Nov. 23 (ANI): Admitting it has been "hard" to sit back and watch Steve Smith and his teammates struggle, former skipper Ricky Ponting has affirmed that he is definitely open to assist wherever he can within the Australian cricket set up. Australia has lost their five Tests in succession, including 0-3 whitewash in Sri Lanka and two Tests against South Africa in the ongoing three-match series. Having resigned from his post as Mumbai Indians coach, speculations are rife that Ponting will return to the Australian set up in some capacity. "I haven't received any calls yet, but that might happen.Cricket Australia knows that I'm there to help if I can - whether that's in a full-time role or whatever it might be. It's hard to sit back and watch the guys play as they have done in the last few weeks," Ponting was quoted as saying by news.com.au. "Guys like me and Warnie ... a lot of the guys that sit back and watch the team pretty closely, we'd love to be able to help out," he added. The former Australian skipper added he would do "anything" and has a plethora of knowledge at his fingertips. "I'm definitely not an expert on Australian cricket, because I haven't played for the last three or four years, but I'm commentating on the Big Bash and I've got a lot of mates that are coaching state sides and that sort of thing, so I've got a pretty good idea of what's going on in the state system," he said. "It'd just be nice to be involved," he added. South Africa are currently chasing a first-ever series whitewash in Australia when they go into the pink ball Test in Adelaide commencing from November 24 following their comprehensive victories in Perth and Hobart. (ANI)