Melbourne, May 1 : Australia's cricket coach Tim Nielsen believes captain Ricky Ponting will snap out of his current batting slump.

Test squad members, currently in India, will return home this week for a training camp in Brisbane, beginning on Monday, in preparation for the Caribbean tour.

Ponting is the only big-name Australian to have struggled in the IPL, posting 39 runs at 9.75 in four matches for Kolkata Knight Riders, including a pair of ducks.

This follows a disappointing end to the home summer, when he made only 191 runs at an average of 19.10 in 10 one-day matches.

Disregarding his century against India at the SCG, Ponting - who recently split from long-time manager Sam Halvorsen - made only 67 runs at 7.4 in nine knocks.

The Australia captain also had a patchy Test series against India, save for his defiant 140 in the final match in Adelaide.

There were calls for Ponting to follow Michael Clarke's lead and take an extended break, but the cash on offer in India was too tempting.

Ponting has not appeared at ease at the crease in the IPL, but Nielsen said that nothing should be made of his performances.

"He'll come back and I am sure the opportunities to bat outside against net bowlers over there in India will hold him in good stead," Fox Sports quoted Nielsen, as saying.

Nielsen said the extra workload from playing in the IPL would not hurt Ponting.

The Australians leave for the Caribbean on May 9 to take on West Indies, who may be without skipper Chris Gayle. Gayle has a hairline fracture in his groin that may require surgery.

ANI