Australia captain Ricky Ponting gave the strongest hint yet on Sunday night that he would push on to 2013 in a bid to atone for his two Ashes defeats as captain in England.
Ponting became just the second captain in Australia's 132-year Test history to relinquish the Ashes twice in England after his side was thrashed by 197 runs in the fifth and deciding match at The Oval.
Asked throughout Australia's campaign whether he would still be playing when the Ashes were next up for grabs in England in 2013, Ponting was non-committal about his future, saying he would play on until he no longer had the passion.
A shattered Ponting said this year's defeat would act as a spur for another tilt at leading his side to glory in England, which is proving to be what India was to predecessor Steve Waugh's career - the final frontier.
"Yep, (it) certainly does. We'll see how I'm going in four years," said Ponting, who led a champion team to defeat in the epic 2005 series.
"Hopefully another chance to play another Ashes series back in Australia, but it would be nice, with everything I've done in my career and the games I've played, to have some good memories from this ground. I might have to come back next time and find some."
Ponting left The Oval equally as disconsolate as he was four years ago and sporting two red marks on his mouth to go with the scar he copped from Steve Harmison in the 2005 defeat.
"I don't think you can get any more disappointed than I am right now," he said.
"We all spoke about it and built the series up so much, to be a part and play well and hopefully to be good enough to win the series, but we've come up short."
"I'm obviously hurting, the rest of the guys are hurting as well."
Ponting's second Ashes defeat in four years will spark vigorous debate back in Australia as to whether he should retain the captaincy.
But it's highly unlikely his future will be discussed among Cricket Australia powerbrokers.
"Hopefully, most of the questions (are) from journalists, hopefully not from people above," he said.
"But we'll see. I've felt I've given myself the best opportunity and done a good job as a captain and leader in this series."
"Leaders are always looked upon on their results on their team. Unfortunately for me and the rest of the guys we haven't got the results we would have liked."
"I've never doubted myself on anything I've ever done when I've had the baggy green cap on."
"I always get out there and accept challenges the best that I can. I wanted to make 100 today, to be the last man out. I couldn't do that."
"As a leader and a captain I wanted to do as well as I possibly could, hopefully be the captain that won here, but I haven't been able to do that either. I'm disappointed with my own performances and other guys are as well."
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland was quick to back Ponting on Monday afternoon, Sutherland particularly pleased by the manner in which the skipper accepted defeat.
"It's completely unfair (calls for Ponting's sacking as captain), I think Ricky's had a very, very good series, (he's) been under incredible pressure, we've all seen the pressure he's been under throughout this series," Sutherland said.
"And I thought the dignity and poise that he showed in defeat was something that all Australians should be proud of."
"Of course we like to win and we'd prefer to win but as well we want to be proud of our players who we know have given their all and I thought that Ricky held himself very, very well in the difficult situation of losing the Ashes."