Ponting will join fellow assistant Jason Gillespie and Justin Langer, the head coach, for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.

Normal head coach Darren Lehmann and his assistant David Saker are unable to take charge of the matches as they will be in India preparing the test squad for a four-match series.

Langer will take charge for the three Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka starting in Melbourne on February 17 before moving to Geelong two days later and Adelaide on February 22, with the final match to be played the day before Australia’s opening test against India in Pune.

It is not the first time Langer, 46, has filled in for Lehmann this winter as he took charge during Australia’s one-day international tri-series in the Caribbean while the full-time coach took a short break.

"I always said when I retired that I wanted to get back involved and what better way to do it than alongside a couple of my best mates in cricket, Justin Langer and Jason Gillespie," Ponting said in a statement.

"We have some incredible Twenty20 talent in this country and I cant wait to work with JL (Langer), Dizzy (Gillespie) and those selected to have a real crack at doing something special for Australia's Twenty20 international ambitions."

Ponting retired from international cricket in 2012 having scored 13,378 test runs and 13,704 one day international runs.

"It's exciting that Ricky will be involved alongside Jason and myself during the Sri Lanka series as he was the one man I really wanted alongside us," Langer said.

"His knowledge of the game and the way he reads it, coupled with his invaluable experience as a coach with the Mumbai Indians means he knows the format inside-out.

"I can't wait to work alongside my ex-captain and friend again."