Clarke's continued batting woes in the Ashes have increased the gap between his record between his record at No.5, where he has spent most of his career, and No.4, where he has mainly resided in the past two years and for about a year between 2010 and 2011. His scores of 10 and 13 at Edgbaston dragged his average of No.4 down to 30.89 from 61 innings, only barely half of the 61.83 across his 108 innings at No.5.

Clarke's drop in average below 50 for the first time in more than two and a half years has increased scrutiny over not just his position in the batting order but also his position in the team, although the captain insisted in the aftermath of Australia's thrashing in the third Test that he still warranted selection.

"I am 100 per cent confident [of that]," said Clarke. "My self-belief is still there, because I continue to work as hard as I have throughout my career."

Clarke said he was more concerned by his lack of batting form, and the paucity of runs he has produced because of that, than the relevance of his batting at No.4 instead of No.5. He did, however, confirm a decision on where he bats in the fourth Test will not be made until he learns if selectors are to make any changes to Australia's XI.

"It [position] has never bothered me," Clarke said. "Statistically it shows that I have performed a lot better at No.5 than No.4, but it's not like I have walked in at 2-10 throughout this series. I think our whole top order has done a really good job.

"The number is irrelevant. It is about what's best for the team. If the team needs me to bat at 5 I will bat at 5. A lot of that will be dictated by the XI the selectors give me."

Since Lehmann was installed as coach at the start of the 2013 Ashes series the only times Clarke has batted away from No.4 were two of the three Tests lasts year in South Africa, when intended No.6 batsman Shane Watson missed due to injury and Shaun Marsh played instead. Marsh, who is favoured to replace Adam Voges and would be the prime candidate bat ahead of Clarke, dazzled at No.4 with innings of 148 and 44 in first Test in South Africa. In his second, however, he made a pair and was dropped to make way for Watson.

Lehmann offered support to Clarke, whose series average is a paltry 18.8, by declaring he would be given "as long as he needs" to regain form.

The coach, however, did confirm his belief that just because Clarke is the team's most experienced Test batsmen that did not necessarily mean he must assume the prime middle-order batting position of No.4 ahead of less experienced teammates.

"The captain has always done the batting order and Michael has always worked out what's best for the team," he said.

"Because we've had younger guys in or different guys batting in different positions . . . [having Clarke at] No.4 has kept that stability there. Now that's totally up to him. If he bats No.5 because of the team make-up so be it. We're OK with that. [If] that's his decision we'll support that."

Clarke was promoted from No.5 to No.4 in the last year of predecessor Ricky Ponting's tenure as Test captain. After no centuries and only two half-centuries in his first 20 innings in the position Clarke elected about a year later, having taken over as captain, to move to No.5 - and made centuries in two of his first three innings.

As Australia tinkered with their batting order in the 2013 Ashes, Lehmann's first series as coach, Clarke began settling on a line-up with him at No.4 in the Test at Trent Bridge, the site of the next Test in this Ashes series.

PUP'S MIDDLE-ORDER MUDDLE

- No.4: 61 innings, 1730 runs at 30.89; 5 centuries, 4 half-centuries.
- No.5: 108 inns, 5936 runs at 61.83; 20 centuries, 20 half-centuries.