Ponting rested for Perth match

In keeping with Cricket Australia's rotation policy, skipper Ricky Ponting will sit out of his team's last league match of the VB tri-series against India in Perth on February 1.

Vice-captain Adam Gilchrist, who returns to the squad following a short break, will stand in for Ponting in the match, Cricket Australia announced on Thursday.

Ponting will instead remain in his home city of Wollongong before rejoining the squad in the first of the best-of-three finals at Melbourne on February 6.

The decision to leave Ponting out of the Perth fixture was made by National Selection Panel Chairman Trevor Hohns in conjunction with the team management and Cricket Australia General Manager of Cricket Operations, Michael Brown.

"Just as Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist have benefited from a short lay-off during this VB tri-series, we felt that a break would help Ricky in the lead-up to the series finals and upcoming tour of Sri Lanka," Hohns said.

"Gilchrist is a proven leader and is the right man to captain the side in Ricky's absence," he added.