Coach Tim Nielsen has urged fans not to write off Australia's chances of retrieving the Ashes against England over the coming months, reports said on Saturday.

Coach Nielsen urges Aussie fans not to panic

Coach Tim Nielsen has urged fans not to write off Australia's chances of retrieving the Ashes against England over the coming months, reports said on Saturday.

Pessimism has greeted Australia's 2-0 series loss to India, making it three straight Test defeats for Ricky Ponting's team for the first time in more than 20 years.

Under Ponting's captaincy, Australia has twice lost the Ashes urn to England and pressure is building on him amid the national team's painful transition following several high-profile retirements.

But Nielsen has advised fans not to panic following Australia's third successive Test loss and believes they will prove the doubters wrong during the Ashes.

"The most important thing is not to jump to conclusions," Nielsen told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"A lot of stuff that's been talked about is being led by public opinion from outside the group, and a lot of the time public opinion is a long way from the action.

"They don't necessarily have an insight into how hard the players are working, and how passionate they are about playing for Australia.

"We know we can do better, we're just looking to the Ashes series as an opportunity to show the Australian public that the hard work we've put in over the last 12 months is going to reap rewards for us."

Nielsen said while England would see potential opportunities to target spinner Nathan Hauritz and their middle batting order, Australia had their own plans, especially for under-pressure batsman Kevin Pietersen.

"We'd like to think we can keep Pietersen at bay, break the opening partnerships early, and won't let them take early wickets," he said.

"If we can have success over Pietersen that would certainly go a way towards opening up their middle order for us."

Pundit Peter Roebuck said although Ponting's position was not under immediate threat, it was difficult to see him continue as captain if Australia lost the Ashes at home to England.

"Ponting still has a lot to offer," Roebuck wrote in the Herald.

"To my mind, he can step down as captain at the end of this summer and keep playing.

"He batted superbly in India, and with complete commitment. He needs to separate his two functions, give himself a break and spend the last few years of his career helping his country build its new team."

The Ashes Test series gets under way at Brisbane's Gabba ground on November 25.

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