TOPSHOT - Australia's captain Aaron Finch looks on in the field during the 2019 Cricket World Cup second semi-final between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England, on July 11, 2019. (Photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has revealed that he believes Pat Cummins should take over as captain of the ODI team.

Cummins, who captains the Test team, has spoken out openly about the challenges for a quick bowler to take over all three teams, labelling the expectation that he would play every match across all three formats as 'unrealistic'.

He suggested he may entertain the idea if a strong vice-captain is appointed who would fill in as required however.

While it would only be the ODI team at this stage, there is a strong thought process that Finch will also call it quit from the national team in the shortest form of the game after the T20 World Cup, to be hosted in October.

It has been reported that Cummins has already been asked by Cricket Australia to take over the ODI team, while speculation has also suggested that any of Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh or Alex Carey could also be on the list.

David Warner is another option, however, is still grappling to have his leadership ban overturned, something the Sydney Thunder are keen on helping out with as they angle towards Warner holding a leadership role for this summer's Big Bash League.

Speaking on The ICC Review though, Ponting said Cummins should take over.

"I think it’ll be Pat Cummins, to be honest," Ponting said.

"I know he doesn’t play all the ODIs for obvious reasons, because his workload in Test cricket has been, like all the fast bowlers, very high in the last few years.

"I know they are very conscious of making sure that they’ve got Cummins, (Josh) Hazlewood and (Mitchell) Starc a 100 percent fit and healthy for the big Test series to come around.

"But look, I’ll be surprised if it wasn’t Pat Cummins."

Ponting did suggest however that Warner's leadership ban should be overturned based on the fact Steve Smith - who only received a 12-month ban for the Cape Town ball tampering scandal as compared to Warner's lifetime ban from leadership roles - is now vice-captain of the Test team.

"I’m just basing this on what’s happened with Steve Smith – he is now the Test vice-captain again, having been the captain and really at the centre of the whole controversy in Cape Town," Ponting said.

"He is now the Test vice-captain, which means obviously that if Pat Cummins ever misses a Test, then Steve Smith is going to be the captain of Australia again in Test match cricket.

"So, if that’s the case, and all being even and reasonably fair, then I think it would be OK, as far as I’m concerned, for David Warner to have his name (in the ring).

"Not saying that they have to make him captain, but he should be able to be in the conversation."