India's cricketers have been told not to panic before the visit of mighty Australia despite a series of confidence-sapping defeats.

"We tend to panic after every match, every series. We've performed well in the last two years. So there is no need to really get disturbed by these defeats," national selector Kirti Azad said.

India lost to archrivals Pakistan in the Champions Trophy in England on Sunday.

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That defeat followed failures in a warm-up series against England, a tri-series in Amsterdam with Pakistan and Australia and the final of the Asia Cup against Sri Lanka.

Top batsman Sachin Tendulkar is still uncertain with an elbow injury, batsmen Virender Sehwag and Vangipurappu Laxman are out of form and the pace attack has been hit by injuries before the four-match series against the Australians starting on October 6.

Sunday's three-wicket victory at Edgbaston took Pakistan into the semi-finals after India, joint winners last time, were dismissed for 200.

The reverses seemed quickly to dissipate the confidence they had after claiming a historic Test and one-day series in Pakistan in March-April and a creditable 1-1 Test series draw in Australia at the start of 2004.

Azad blamed seaming pitches in England and Amsterdam for some of India's recent batting woes and predicted a change at home.

India beat Australia 2-1 when they last toured in 2001.

India's selectors will assess the fitness of left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan at a five-day domestic game starting on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old bowler, who has a poor fitness record, has been sidelined since July because of a hamstring injury.

Seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji, who withdrew from the Champions Trophy with an abdominal injury, is expected to take at least two months to recover.

• Schedule for the India-Australia series