Besieged Australia captain Ricky Ponting has received support from an unlikely ally with New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori insisting his long-time rival would never put his own interests ahead of the team cause.

Speaking at the completion of his side's gruelling net session at the Sydney Cricket Ground this morning, the experienced left-arm spinner faced a barrage of questions from Australian reporters all hungry for his take on the Nagpur debacle.

Australia crashed to a 172-run loss in the fourth Test yesterday to suffer a 2-0 series defeat - their first series reverse since the 2005 Ashes.

But with his squad set to face Australia in the first Test of the upcoming two-match series starting in Brisbane next Thursday, Vettori was reluctant to provide the world's top-ranked Test team with any extra motivation.

"It's always hard to comment from the outside but I think the ultimate goal is to win a game," Vettori said of Ponting's decision to employ part-time bowlers after tea on day four against India in a bid to improve upon a sluggish over-rate.

Had the slow over-rate continued, Ponting could have faced a one-Test ban, leading to accusations he put himself ahead of the team.

"From knowing Ricky I don't think he would have had any selfish reasons for not bowling anyone, he was just trying to get through the over rates," added Vettori.

"Most people will sit back and say they'd try to win the game but it's always different when you're put in that situation."

Pressed on whether he considered Ponting's tactics out of character, with the match - and indeed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy - hanging in the balance, Vettori replied: "He's a pretty ruthless guy and I think any chance he can to get a win he'll take it.

"So I suppose that's why people are sitting back here and questioning (him).

"He is a ruthless captain, a very good captain and obviously a great player."

And while Vettori conceded the Australians' aura of invincibility may have been tarnished on the road following their series defeat in India, he is alert to the dangers of underestimating them at home.

"I think when you come to Australia and (considering) how impeccable their record has been over the last few years in Test match cricket you know this is probably the hardest test in world cricket - facing Australia in Australia," he said.

The Kiwis will finalise their preparations for the Brisbane Test with a four-day fixture against the New South Wales Blues at the SCG starting on Thursday.