Shane Warne believes Australia will "wipe the floor" with England in next summer's Ashes showdown unless Kevin Pietersen's men can win the forthcoming Test series in India and the West Indies.

Pietersen and Steve Harmison both predicted England could regain the famous urn after they beat South Africa convincingly in the final Test of the summer. That was Pietersen's first Test in charge as captain and he went on to lead England to a 4-0 victory over South Africa in the one-day series.

But Warne laughed off the idea that England are suddenly good enough to down Australia on the back of one Test match and a handful of limited-overs games. "I've heard all this stuff about the Ashes," he said. "I'd like to see England win something first.

"They've just won a dead rubber against South Africa and everyone is saying: 'We're going to win the Ashes'. South Africa won that series 2-1 and really they've only got a couple of batsmen.

"England have to start winning something before the Ashes come along. Start to win some series and get some momentum. That's what happened in 2005.

"If England can win their next Test series, and the next, I'm sure they will give Australia a real shake and it will be a hell of a contest. But if they keep losing series, and winning dead rubbers, then I think Australia will thrash them. They will wipe the floor with them. Australia are a fantastic side. They are not on the decline."

Warne believes Pietersen can go on to become the best batsman in the world. He also feels his former Hampshire team-mate is the right man to get that vital momentum going in the England camp. "With Pietersen as captain, he has confidence, he is the best England batsman and people will follow him," he said. "Sometimes the best players don't make the best captains but Pietersen is hungry for it. He likes being the man.

"If he can get [Andrew] Flintoff and Harmison in the dressing room the others will follow and England will become a very good side. He understands the game and I am sure he will have success. Hopefully he does do well and hopefully England will do well under him."

Warne also believes Michael Vaughan is still England's best option to bat at No 3, despite the former captain's drop in form. Vaughan has been left out of the tour to India but Warne cast doubt on the likes of Ian Bell as a world-class option to bat at No 3. "Michael Vaughan was the best English captain I ever played against. He was a very good communicator, the way he gelled the troops, and he got the best out of some players.

"I remember him coming to Australia in 2002 and he played unbelievably - right up there with Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar in the way he played against us in our conditions.

"He is still the best No 3 that England have got. I have still got some doubts about Ian Bell and a couple of others. Michael Vaughan needs to be back in the side for England to have their best side on the field."

Warne has no plans to take on a consultancy role at Hampshire - but he believes Duncan Fletcher, the former England coach, would be a "very good appointment".

The Australian dismissed reports that he could return to the county, explaining he is too busy juggling corporate responsibilities with playing poker and life with his three kids, but Warne feels Fletcher, who has county experience from his pre-England days at Glamorgan, could make a real difference to Hampshire.

"From afar it looked like he did a wonderful job as a coach [with England] and with Michael Vaughan he got the best out of a lot of players," Warne said. "He could do very well for Hampshire. They struggled in the first half of the year but they showed their character and came back and could have won two competitions.

"They are a very good side and if he can add anything to that, which I am sure he can, he would be a very good appointment."

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