Ricky Ponting will consider his Test future over the coming days after the National Selection Panel axed the former captain from the Commonwealth Bank Series squad on Monday.
Ponting returned to the captaincy for Australia's past two games in the one-day international tri-series but was deemed surplus to requirements in the 13-man squad for the games against Sri Lanka on February 24 and India two days later.
NSP chairman John Inverarity admitted that decision - which was made with an eye to the 2015 World Cup - was a strong indication the 37-year-old's 375-game ODI career was over, although he didn't rule out a return.
But Inverarity, who also announced Brad Haddin was no longer Australia's first-choice ODI wicketkeeper, said Ponting was considering whether to retire from 50-over cricket and was also contemplating whether to continue his 162-Test career.
"We're hoping Ricky will remain available for Test match cricket. We hope this is not the end for Ricky," Inverarity said.
"Ricky is going to consider his future over the next couple of days and he'll talk it over with his family and with his manager."
"He's wondering whether he retires completely from ODI cricket so the selectors no longer have him in contention for the possibility, which is unlikely but still a possibility because the door is never closed."
"And then of course there is the implications for Test cricket."
"If he drops out of the ODI team then there's a possible lack of momentum there. There are three Test matches in the West Indies, then as I understand it there are no more Test matches until October or November."
Ponting, the third highest run-scorer in Test cricket behind only Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, is coming off incredible performances in the 4-0 series win over India, in which he scored 544 runs at an average of 108.
But the Tasmanian endured a lean start to the CBS, scoring just 18 runs from five matches, which Inverarity said had forced the selectors' hands.
The NSP's decision to make Ponting's future immediately clear was in significant contract to the Haddin situation, as doubt surrounded the future of the New South Welshman after he was 'rested' for the first three games but left out of the second squad without explanation.
"When I said he was rested, that was probably incomplete. I made an error," Inverarity said.
"We've been very pleased with Matthew Wade's form and we decided this morning that now Matthew Wade is the preferred ODI wicketkeeper for Australia."
"The very clear intention at this moment is that Matthew Wade and Brad Haddin will go to the West Indies as wicketkeepers."
Although the decision to axe Ponting appears to have denied one of Australia's greatest ever players the chance to go out on his own terms, at least in 50-over cricket, Inverarity said that could never have been a consideration.
"In elite sport there's no place for sentiment ... the members of the NSP were unanimous in their view," he said.
"You don't put your heart to one side, but the head has got to dominate."
Shane Watson was named in the squad after making his long-awaited return from injury in the Bupa Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia from Friday to Sunday, while Ryan Harris also came in for Mitchell Starc.
