Melbourne: Fresh from his arrival from the Indian Premier League, Australia captain Ricky Ponting now wants his countrymen to switch from the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament to their national team's Test series against the West Indies starting from May 22.

With a battle for TV ratings expected between IPL and the Test series in the coming days, Ponting has urged the Australians to watch their current stars than the retired greats in the IPL which is being shown on free-to-air and in a similar time slot.

"I'd like to think that most people in Australia will be watching their national team represent their country over a couple of the other guys, retired guys most of them now, representing an Indian franchise," Ponting was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph .

"I know if I was sitting back in my lounge room, being the cricket traditionalist I am, I would certainly be watching Test cricket over the IPL," said Ponting who had an ordinary outing in the cash-rich tournament playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

He said the challenge of leading a fresh Australian team had given him the confidence and determination to arrest his own rare batting slump.

"What I've prided myself on the last few years is that consistency, that was missing last year so it's up to me to get that back starting in the Carribean."

Source : PTI