Shane Watson has conceded he is under pressure to retain his spot in the Australia side after a lean summer with the bat.

Watson scored a much needed half century in the drawn MCG Test, but has endured a below par series, heading into the fourth and final Test against India at the SCG starting on Tuesday.

Watson has managed just 141 runs in six innings at 23.50, an effort he isn’t happy with.

“So far in this series I have been very disappointed with my output,” he said at training on Saturday.

“I have been working very hard on my game to be able to put all the pieces together again, after breaking it down in the off season to work out a few chinks I had in my technique.

“I feel I am under pressure when I am scoring runs at any stage, whether it is this Test or previously over the last couple of years.

“I know if I am not performing then I am under pressure.

“I want to be able to feel like I am contributing and not feel I am a passenger, whether it is with bat or ball.”

Scores of 14, 33, 25, 0, 52 and 17, batting at No.3 haven’t made for pretty reading, but Watson can book his spot in the Ashes squad for later this year with a big score at the SCG.

In commentating for Channel Nine, Shane Warne has said that Watson is as hard on himself as anyone, a personal characteristic the allrounder says is both good and bad.

“There are positives and negatives in that, the positives are that it always drives me to get better and improve,” Watson said.

“But the flip side on that is that I can put too much pressure on myself when I get out there.

“For me it is trying to find that perfect balance where I have freedom in my mind when I go out to bat, but I also feel very well prepared and I feel confident and comfortable going into the game.”