Michael Clarke concedes it may be time for Australia to "go back to the drawing board" after surrending the Ashes 3-1 on home soil.

Former Ramsbottom professional Clarke, vice-captain for the first four matches of the series and then stand-in skipper when the last rites were administered in Sydney, admitted he was disappointed by the results and accepted there would be some soul searching.

Yet despite that he rejected calls for wholesale changes in personnel.

"It's been a tough couple of months and we've been outplayed in all facets of the game," he said after England wrapped up the innings and 83-run win on the fifth morning at the SCG.

"England have showed us what execution and discipline with the ball can do and made some big scores with the bat too.

"The feeling in our changing room has been pretty good all series but like all fans and players we're not happy that we've not been able to do as much as we'd have liked.

"We need to go back to the drawing board and work our backsides off...but this side has a lot of talent.

"I don't think (change is the answer). We need to stick together.

"We've played some good cricket but very inconsistently. Every day we are looking to improve as players and as a team."

Clarke has been tipped to take the reins permanently if the selectors choose to move on from Ricky Ponting, the master batsman who was a shadow of himself in this series before missing the finale with a broken finger.

But when asked if he expected to be skippering again the next time Australia play Test cricket, Clarke answered succinctly.

"I expect Ricky Ponting to be captain," he said.

Australia legend Shane Warne, who was outlandishly tipped for a recall to boost the ailing hosts midway through the series, admitted the superior side had prevailed.

Warne told Sky Sports 1: "Congratulations to England, they played better cricket.

"These guys have come in and the one thing that stands out is the attitude and the belief they can win.

"They said 'we're going to try and win every game we possibly can' and they just about have.

"Also the urgency they played with, the passion and the pride."

He added: "You can criticise Australia and say they've been poor but England haven't allowed them to play.

"To lose by an innings three times is a massive, heavy defeat and that's what has hurt.

"If they'd showed everything they've got and made it close that would have been something but they haven't."