Ricky Ponting is seriously considering retirement from the one-day game after he was dropped from Australia's squad for the next two matches of the Commonwealth Bank Series.

Ponting scored just 18 runs in his five outings in the tri-series, leaving the selectors with little option but to move on.

With little prospect of forcing his way back into the squad this season, Ponting has been left to ponder whether he should throw in the towel and solely concentrate on Test cricket, or retire altogether.

The 37-year-old has called a press conference in Sydney on Tuesday morning at which he is expected to outline his future plans.

While John Inverarity and his selection panel are hoping that Ponting will remain available in the Test arena after a highly successful summer, they appreciate that dropping him from the one-day setup has left a huge hole in the batsman's cricket life.

"He made a double-century in his last Test match and we are hoping he remains available for Test cricket, but there can be no guarantees," Inverarity said at a press conference on Monday.

"Ricky is going to consider his future over the next couple of days and talk it over with his family and with his manager. He's wondering whether he retires completely from ODI cricket ... and then of course there are the implications for Test cricket.

"For a man who plays cricket like Ricky has over the last 15 or more years, he has been an integral part of the team in ODIs and Test matches. If he drops out of the ODIs then there is a possible lack of momentum there. There are three Tests in the West Indies, then as I understand it no more Test matches until October-November."

Australia have only limited overs engagements between the end of the West Indies tour and the arrival of South Africa in October, and while Ponting has said previously that he would like to go back to England in 2013 to win back the Ashes, that could feel like a long time away without regular ODIs to keep him in top shape.

Nevertheless after scoring 544 runs in four Tests against India this summer, Ponting is at least able to make the decision of whether to stay on in the Test arena himself.

Inverarity insisted that the news of his one-day axing was taken well by Ponting, who received it over the course of two phone calls - either side of his flight from Brisbane to Sydney.

"I spoke with Ricky this morning, I think how he took the news is a measure of the man. He was disappointed and understandably so, but he took it on the chin," Inverarity added.

"He is a gem of a human being, a wonderful bloke, and he takes everything in his stride. He was under enormous pressure two or three months ago, and he never wavered from his dedication. He's a very resilient and wonderful human being.

"It is a tough decision but when you take over a position like this you know these things are on the cards.

"You don't put your heart to one side, but your head has got to dominate, and to the credit of the NSP, everyone holds Ricky in the highest regard, as a player and as a person, but we've got a decision to make, and we made a decision we believe is the right decision and the best decision in the interest of Australian cricket."