Perth, Feb. 2 : Australian cricket skipper Ricky Ponting is reportedly ready to urge the national selectors to pick Andrew Symonds for the tour of South Africa.

Ponting said he wanted the all-rounder in his squad for "all forms of the game" in South Africa after Australia lost the Test and one-day series at home for the first time in 16 years.

A decision on Symonds'' immediate international future, following his infamous radio rant, is an agenda item at Tuesday''s Cricket Australia board meeting. His behavioral problems will be discussed and there will be input from his counselors, reports Fox News.

Ponting has said the "buck stops with him" but wants to go to South Africa with proven talent.

"We are hurting with Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson missing, both those guys would be picked in our first XI," Ponting said after Australia surrendered the No. 1 one-day ranking to South Africa in Perth.

"He (Symonds) has been vital for us over the last three or four seasons in one-day cricket and, in the last two in Tests," Ponting said.

He was adamant that the team should be selected on quality, not just the potential of rookies such as Phil Hughes and Shaun Marsh, as it started to rebuild after a disastrous summer.

Ponting indicated he wanted an experienced opener such as Phil Jaques in his team, saying "it was great to see him back on the park" following back surgery.

"We have to pick who we see are the most competent and best players around to embark on some big Test series coming up," Ponting said.

"South Africa coming up will be a very big test for us and the Ashes is something we all want to be part of. I will be making that point to the selectors if they don''t know that already," said Ponting. (ANI)