Batsman Adam Voges finds himself under pressure after a poor series saw him score 118 runs at 19.66, while Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja, dumped ahead of the dead rubber, will also be keen for a strong start to the home domestic summer to ensure they are firmly in the frame for a Test recall come the Perth opener against South Africa.

But the issue facing the selectors is how much weighting can be put on home performances against the Proteas and Pakistan, compared to a batsman's ability to tame spin bowling when the sub-continent beckons.

Lehmann, also a selector, insisted the right squad had been picked for Sri Lanka but the results had not been forthcoming, in part because of the batting failures. But he did admit a change in philosophy may be needed come the tour of India, from February, after three-straight series losses in Asia.

"We think we picked the best squad to play well here and we haven't performed as well as we would have liked. The difference is, we have got to change on the sub-continent," he said.

"Results would say that. Obviously, with India, [versus Pakistan in the] UAE and now Sri Lanka, we have got to change how we pick and shape up a squad for the sub-continent.

"As I said in Galle, those guys [Burns and Khawaja] did very well in the summer and you think they would be able to adapt, and some didn't, and some did. That's the challenge for selectors – to get it right when we travel away from home.

"I think we have to look at all angles – the shape up of the side, whether you need one quick, two quicks, three quicks, allrounders and see how we play. It certainly hasn't worked the way we played. We think we had the right balance but our batters haven't made enough runs."

Lehmann said the selectors now had a vision for the future but initially denied this Sri Lankan series had been a setback.

"No, not really, not from my point of view. It's more about going forward. It's actually understanding where we want to go, and how we want to get there, and what we want to do and how we want to achieve it," he said.

"We have underperformed. There is no hiding from that. As a group we have underperformed. So, setback in terms of results, yes, but vision going forward quite clear."

Voges, who turns 37 in October, has seen his career average drop from 95, after a strong home campaign and tour of New Zealand, to 72 in this series.

"Adam has been fantastic for us since he has come in. You always have those issues when you are an older player. He has got to make every post a winner, as we know," Lehmann said.

One focus will be off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who delivered 16 wickets – the third biggest haul of the series behind Rangana Herath (28) and Mitch Starc (24) – but at an average of 31.93. He will need to add more variety to his game, in particular the ability to trouble opponents with accurate, sliding deliveries.

"Nathan has got to be better, as we said the last couple of times. That's one area we certainly have to improve on in the sub-continent," Lehmann said.

Lehmann said the series defeat "hurts" – a result which has seen the tourists drop from No.1 to No.3 on the International Cricket Council's rankings.

"For us, it is only a game. But still, that hurts. We should be reasonably embarrassed by our performance in this series. That's OK, there is nothing wrong with that. It's not hiding the fact we didn't play well enough and we have got to improve. That's the simple fact," he said.

Australia now turn their attention towards a one-day series of five matches, beginning Sunday, and two Twenty20s. All-rounder Mitch Marsh will return home with the selectors of the belief he needs a break ahead of a busy summer.