Shane Warne has explained how his position in the Australian side has changed in recent years, and appears to be revelling in his role out of the spotlight.

"My role in the side has changed a fair bit with the three quicks in the side in the last couple of years," Warne reasoned.

"We always used to bat first no matter what so I could bowl on the fourth or fifth day. Now we bowl first all the time. It's been a change in tactics for us and that's been something I've had to adjust to.

"I bowl on days one, two and three and people start to say I'm not bowling big turners any more. I say 'wait until days four and five' but we're winning in three days, so I don't get that opportunity very often.

"My role now is to make some handy runs at number eight, take a few catches and pick up the odd wicket here and there."

Warne endured a tough tour of India. Much was expected of him on the turning pitches but he found Laxman and co. to be wonderful players of spin and his wickets came at more than 50 apiece. India also ended Australia's remarkable unbeaten run, but Warne does not believe that they played badly, rather that India raised their game.

"People have said various things about us, but I tend to disagree about India. I think it went pretty well for all of us," he said. "It would've been nice to win, but I thought it was a fascinating Test series. It was one of most exciting I've been involved in.

"Someone like Laxman, averaging 25 in Test cricket, comes out and gets 280; it's one of the best innings I've ever witnessed.

"When you lose you always think you could've done better, but you've got to take your hat off and say 'Jeez mate you played well and were too good for us'."

Looking forward to the Ashes, Warne appears to revel in the resurgence of the England team, but he insists that Australia have never taken anything for granted against the old enemy.

"The Ashes were never devalued in my eyes. It's always something special. It's irrelevant if England are playing badly or we're playing badly. England-Australia battles always bring out the best in everybody.

"The history and tradition means so much. A lot of us have been playing against each other for a long time. I know how the English batters play and they know how I'm going to bowl.

"It'll be interesting to see which way they try and go; whether they come out and have a go, which will help me, or whether they try and make it hard for me to get a wicket."

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