<p>Australia will reclaim the Ashes against all odds if Kevin Pietersen's knee injury keeps the England batsman out of the series, spin great Shane Warne has said.<br /><br /></p>.<p>England hold the Ashes after a convincing 3-1 away series win in 2010-11 and Australia's chances of wresting it back do not look bright following their recent 4-0 drubbing in India.<br /><br />Pietersen will not play in next month's Champions Trophy one-day tournament but is expected back for the Ashes series starting in July.<br /><br />"If Kevin Pietersen's not available for the Ashes I think Australia will win," Australian Warne told Sky Sports news.<br /><br />"I think he's that big a player for the England team. Everyone feeds off him. He's such a destructive player," Warne added of his former Hampshire team-mate.<br /><br />England completed a 2-0 Test victory over New Zealand this week to signal the kind of form they are in but the leg-spin great warned the Australians, led by Michael Clarke, were quite capable of pulling off a surprise.<br /><br />"England are definitely favourites," said Warne.<br /><br />"They've been playing some excellent cricket, and they're well led by Alastair Cook. But I really believe Australia have a squad, if they pick the right players and they perform then, I think the people who are out there writing them off could really be surprised."<br /></p>
<p>Australia will reclaim the Ashes against all odds if Kevin Pietersen's knee injury keeps the England batsman out of the series, spin great Shane Warne has said.<br /><br /></p>.<p>England hold the Ashes after a convincing 3-1 away series win in 2010-11 and Australia's chances of wresting it back do not look bright following their recent 4-0 drubbing in India.<br /><br />Pietersen will not play in next month's Champions Trophy one-day tournament but is expected back for the Ashes series starting in July.<br /><br />"If Kevin Pietersen's not available for the Ashes I think Australia will win," Australian Warne told Sky Sports news.<br /><br />"I think he's that big a player for the England team. Everyone feeds off him. He's such a destructive player," Warne added of his former Hampshire team-mate.<br /><br />England completed a 2-0 Test victory over New Zealand this week to signal the kind of form they are in but the leg-spin great warned the Australians, led by Michael Clarke, were quite capable of pulling off a surprise.<br /><br />"England are definitely favourites," said Warne.<br /><br />"They've been playing some excellent cricket, and they're well led by Alastair Cook. But I really believe Australia have a squad, if they pick the right players and they perform then, I think the people who are out there writing them off could really be surprised."<br /></p>