Ashes already Australia's focus - Warne

Shane Warne believes that Australia are already looking beyond the two-Test series against India which gets underway in Mohali on Friday, and have their sights fixed firmly on reclaiming the Ashes on home soil later this year.

Despite the prestige that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has attracted in recent years, with India emerging as the only side to win more matches than they lost against the Aussies throughout the 2000s, Warne feels that this year's series has been "squeezed" into the calendar, and that his former team-mates will simply be grateful for the chance to brush up on their Test techniques before taking on England at Brisbane on November 25.

"Most of the time that India and Australia play it would be over four Tests, but leading up to the Ashes it's a good thing because they need Tests, not heaps of one-dayers and Twenty20s," Warne told ESPNcricinfo while filming the 888sport show in London. "They want to try and win every series that they play, because that's what sportsmen do, but if they lose they lose, and they'll start their focus back in on the Ashes."

Looking ahead to the series against England, Warne conceded that Australia would be more vulnerable on home soil than they have been in a generation, but still predicted a 2-1 winning scoreline, largely on the strength of their formidable home record. "Given that there's not much between the two teams, you think the next thing to weigh up are the Australian conditions," he said. "Australia have only lost a couple of series in 20 years in Australia.

"This is England's best chance since 1986," he added, recalling the success of Mike Gatting's side in that winter's campaign. "With Australia in transition, they are not playing as well as they can, while England are playing pretty well and with a settled squad, so I think that mix makes for a good series. England were embarrassed last time in Australia - they lost 5-0, so they want to try and put that right, but it's a tough ask. They need Graeme Swann to take 30 wickets in the series, and if he does that, they can probably win."

Another player whom Warne believes could have a major bearing on the series is his former Hampshire team-mate, Chris Tremlett, whose 6'8" frame is tailor-made for international fast bowling, but whose temperament has been deemed suspect on his previous international appearances, including an unsuccessful stint in England's CB Series campaign on the last Ashes tour four years ago.

"I captained him for a while [at Hampshire], but I think the thing with Tremlett is his body language," said Warne. "He needs to improve that because at times he can appear a bit soft. But he's got all the ability in the world, and he could easily be the No. 1 bowler in the world if it all clicks. If he could bring his net form out into the middle, and continue [working on] his body language, he could really be a strength for England."

Australia are unlikely to need additional motivation going into the first Test against India, but if they do end up losing the series, they will dip below England in the ICC rankings for the first time since they were introduced in 2003. "I don't think it'll have any bearing on the outcome of the series, or the way they prepare for the series," said Warne. "It's just a number. If you're winning Test matches you're at the top, if you're not winning Test matches, you'll slide down. Australia will be disappointed if they lose the series and drop down the rankings, but hopefully they'll win there, and hopefully they'll win the Ashes too."

Warne made light of an additional obstacle to Australia's preparations for the Mohali Test - the late arrival of two key players, Doug Bollinger and Mike Hussey, who were involved with the Chennai Super Kings victory in the Champions League, and did not link up with the squad until earlier this week. "The current-day player has to adapt, that's just the way cricket is at the moment," said Warne. "But Hussey and Bollinger are class players, they've been around a while, and they know what they are doing. They'll adapt very quickly."