By Martin Gough

Waugh won nine Ashes series, two as captain

Former captain Steve Waugh has told BBC Sport that Australia need to be less sociable with the England side if they are to regain the Ashes.

In their 2-1 defeat in England last year, Waugh said: "I thought from the sidelines perhaps they were a little bit too friendly.

"They were using England players' nicknames in the press and that was something that hadn't been done before.

"They may have become too familiar to England and lost a bit of mystique."

Interview: Former Australia captain Steve Waugh

There's no doubt England followed the blueprint of what we were about Steve Waugh

Waugh, who took part in nine Ashes series wins with two as captain, began his Test career in 1985, when the West Indies were at the height of their dominance.

But as Aussie skipper he eclipsed the Caribbean team's record with 16 consecutive Test wins in a side considered one of the best ever.

"When I first played West Indies we didn't know much about them, they kept pretty much to themselves and that gave you self doubts on the field," he explained.

"As you get to know players more you become less intimidated by them."

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Waugh, who is currently in England promoting his autobiography, admitted England had followed the lead set by his teams in being aggressive on and off the field.

"There's no doubt they followed the blueprint of what we were about. They were very positive in their media talk and pretty aggressive on the field," he continued.

"In the second Test they scored 400 on the first day, which was pretty remarkable stuff."

Waugh was impressed by the young players who stepped up in injury-ravaged England's recent tied Test series in India, particularly Alastair Cook and Monty Panesar.

But he does not believe Australia are losing their strength in depth at a time when England's is growing.

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"You need players on the fringe putting pressure on the players who are there because you don't want those guys thinking their places are guaranteed," he said.

"There's a lot of good players in Australia who are waiting for a chance

"For example Stuart Clark, who no one had heard of until recently, came in and took 20 wickets in three Tests.

"Brad Hodge came in, averaged 60 and got dropped so there are probably three or four other guys quite capable of stepping in and doing well straight away."

It's a defining tour for both sides - can Australia reassert themselves or can England consolidate what they've done Steve Waugh

After winning a famous Ashes series, England stumbled to defeat in Pakistan before Christmas, and Waugh says they need to make sure they do not lose focus.

"Something you've got to learn to come to grips with, particularly in England after such a lot of time not winning, is euphoria," he said.

"With the amount of books that came out, the amount of videos, the public adulation, the endorsements, it was a massive change in those players' lives.

"You've got to keep things in perspective. The cricket is your priority and the other things follow through from that."

Waugh, who retired two years ago, will be watching closely when the Ashes begins in Brisbane on 23 November.

He added: "England have got to get back switched on because if they lose this series in Australia people will say, 'Has England really progressed that much?'