Michael Vaughan has ramped up the pressure on Ricky Ponting ahead of the Ashes by predicting he will not survive as Australia captain if his side fail to regain the Urn this winter.

England touched down in Perth on Friday with captain Andrew Strauss adamant that his side has what it takes to win Down Under for the first time since 1987.

Pressure on Australia skipper Ponting is mounting following his side's recent series defeat against India and this summer's failure to beat Pakistan in England.

While being regarded as one of the most talented batsmen of his generation, Ponting's record is blemished by the fact that he has lost two Ashes series.

Vaughan, who beat the Tasmanian to clinch the Urn in 2005, recognises that Ponting's record on home turf is something he should rightly be proud of but admits that losing a contest with England for the third time will definitely cost him his job.

"If he loses the series he will go," said Vaughan.

"He has lost the Ashes twice and hasn't won an Ashes in England either.

"Obviously he won the 06-07 Ashes 5-0 but he had a better team to manage those days but now he has a team that is almost back in the ranks of normal cricket teams.

"His record in Australia is phenomenal but he will have to be at his best, both as a captain and as a batsman to put England under pressure."

Strauss has gained many plaudits since he took charge in 2009, leading the team to victories over West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Australia in last summer's 2-1 victory on home soil.

Winning Down Under would lead to Strauss becoming one of the greatest England captains of all time and Vaughan believes that he will benefit from the absence of a number of Ashes veterans who have recently retired.

"It's harder being a captain when you don't have the ammunition in your bowling attack that includes the likes of (Shane) Warne, (Glenn) McGrath and (Jason) Gillespie," said Vaughan, who was speaking at the Co-operative Be Inspired dinner in London.

"He doesn't have the X-factor bowlers who can change games. That puts your batsmen under a lot more pressure because they know that you have to get lots more runs to give your bowlers something to bowl at.

"If they'd have got 300 a few years ago, they knew that Warne and McGrath would get them back in the game but now they need 400 plus to really put England under pressure."

Vaughan, who missed out on England's humiliating 5-0 whitewash in 2006-07, believes that Strauss can match the achievement of Mike Gatting's team, who beat Australia in their own back yard 23 years ago.

"They can win it," said the 36-year-old, who scored three centuries Down Under in the 2002-03 series.

"It's our most realistic chance since 1987. For so many years it seemed that they didn't know how to lose but they do now.

"The likes of Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen, Stuart Broad and Andrew Strauss are real match-winners and we therefore have a great chance."

Vaughan reckons that the outcome of the first Test at Brisbane, where England have not won since 1986, could be crucial.

He said: "I see whoever wins that match in Brisbane going on to win the series.

"Australia have a great record in Brisbane. They haven't been beaten in 23 years.

"They will probably go in with four seamers because that's how conditions will suit. Hauritz won't play and the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle will come in. They will be key to the outcome of the series too."

:: Michael Vaughan was speaking at the Co-operative Be Inspired dinner for the launch of the Activate Sport Foundation. Visit www.activatesportfoundation.co.uk for more information.