Ashes: Aus coach Darren Lehmann wants team to learn from debacle in India

Australia coach Darren Lehmann wants his batsmen to learn from mistakes made against India earlier this year, ahead of The Ashes starting July 10.

Speaking to mediapersons on Saturday, Lehmann - appointed as head coach in place of Mickey Arthur on June 24 - admitted that batsmen had failed against spinners in the sub-continent but that the need was to learn and bounce back. " We didn't play Indian spinners well in the sub-continent. Full stop. We have done a lot of work on that and we are not hiding from that," he said. "We got to learn from that experience and that is what we want to bring to the table - how we want to play against certain types of bowlers. From that point of view, we are looking at all batting options." (Also read: England recall Graham Onions for 1st Test)

While a battered and bruised Australian outfit had then lost all four Tests against India, it now seeks to reverse its fortunes and reclaim The Ashes against hosts England. And Lehmann is keeping his cards close to his chest for now. Asked about the team composition, he said that the tourists are close to picking a side but cannot even give out hints. "We are very close to deciding on our side for the 1st Test. And no, I can't tell you who all are in. You look at the opposition and then you pick the best 11. This can be different from Test-to-Test. But for us, it's a case of picking the best side," he said.

A clear objective that Lehmann did mention though was getting centuries from batsmen through the course of The Ashes. "We obviously want a hundred every game. Two, perhaps even three (in an innings) would be great. I do not think we have made many hundreds as a batting unit in a long period of time. We, as a team, need to make a lot of hundreds and that will make the job of our bowlers a lot easier."