Melbourne: Australian captain Ricky Ponting said veteran paceman Glenn McGrath would not end his Test career imminently, despite frenzied speculation after Shane Warne announced his sudden departure.

Ponting, arriving in Melbourne for the fourth Ashes Test, said the 36-year-old McGrath was stunned at reports claiming the current Ashes series against England will be his last Test action.

"I actually sat next to him on the plane today and he can't believe some of the attention and some of the things that have been written in the paper, particularly today," Ponting told reporters on Friday.

"I certainly haven't had the conversation with Glenn that I had with Shane the other night so that would to me indicate that he's thinking about playing a bit longer yet," he said.

McGrath, third in the all-time Test bowling charts with 555 wickets, earlier played down a report in the Daily Telegraph that he would bow out of Test cricket after the last Ashes match but continue to play one-day internationals.

The speculation flared in earnest a day after 37-year-old spin bowling legend Warne announced his retirement from Australian and International cricket.

Ponting said he was saddened to lose his talented teammate but that he never tried to talk Warne out of quitting the game.