Time to replace Australia batting coach Hick with a former great: Warne

Australia has a lot of great cricketers and it is time to replace under-fire batting coach Graeme Hick with one of them, said spin legend Shane Warne.

Warne was critical of Hick, under whom, Australia have lost their last 18 matches out of the past 24 matches in all formats, including the loss to South Africa in the one-off Twenty20 on Saturday.

"It's time for a change," Warne was quoted as saying in the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"The one thing I would say is ... Australian cricket over the last 25-30 years has had some terrific batsmen.

"Graeme Hick has been there for the last few years and seen that the players are making the same mistakes all the time; it's time for a change," he added.

Warne believes one of the former Australian greats can do justice to the job.

"Whether it be Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey ... I'm sure any of those guys could do it," Warne said.

"We've had great cricketers for the past 25 years and they [should] be around the cricket team more often. Get Glenn McGrath with the bowlers ... there are so many opportunities."