Michael Clarke replaced Adam Gilchrist as vice-captain, while opener Matthew Hayden was left out because of a hamstring strain from the 13-member Australian squad for the Twenty20 match against India in Melbourne on February 1.
Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel announced a new-look squad, which is also without pacer Mitchell Johnson.
"Ricky Ponting returns as captain after sitting out the last KFC Twenty20 International match against New Zealand," NSP chairman Andrew Hilditch said.
"Michael Clarke has been named vice-captain for this match and we see this as an important step in continuing to develop his leadership skills," he added.
Hilditch said Johnson has been left out to balance the young pacer's workload.
"Matthew Hayden continues to have some tightness in his hamstring and will not play in order to give him maximum recovery time before the beginning of the Commonwealth Bank Series while Mitchell Johnson will not play as we continue to manage his workload," he said.
The Australian squad for the triangular ODI series involving India and Sri Lanka will be announced on Thursday.
Squad for Twenty20 match: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain), Adam Gilchrist, Nathan Bracken, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hodge, James Hopes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Ashley Noffke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Voges.
