Since losing the coveted trophy to England for the first time in 18 years last September, Australia have won 11 and drawn one of 12 Tests and won 18 of 25 one-day internationals.

"I'm really happy with the way things are going with both forms of the game," Ponting said at Sydney Airport as the team arrived home from gruelling tours of South Africa and Bangladesh.

"We've got Damien Martyn back in the Test side again now, we've got that really steady-looking batting line-up which I think will be very good against the English out here in our conditions.

"We believe that everything is sort of on course with Glenn (McGrath) at the moment and he's obviously very keen to play in the Ashes series."

The Australians would potentially have a better preparation for the Ashes series than England, who face seven Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan before arriving in Australia for the Ashes series in November.

Ponting said he expected the next Ashes showdown to generate similar levels of excitement and exposure for the game as the memorable series in England last year.