The Hindu : Sport : Indians were dull and flat, says Steve Waugh

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Friday, Apr 27, 2007
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Indians were dull and flat, says Steve Waugh

Special Correspondent

RESTING EASY: Steve Waugh attributes Australia's success to the high standards the cricketers have set for themselves. — PHOTO: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: "Why did he pick on us," asked Steve Waugh, for a moment sounding beleaguered. The former Australian captain, on a business visit to Hyderabad, was asked if he had spoken to V.V.S. Laxman.

"No. I don't have his phone number," he said before setting off on a string of compliments for the elegant Hyderabad batsman. "He's a great guy and great player and has done very well against us," the Iceman said before throwing the above query at the media on the `special treatment' Laxman had singled out Australia for.

Of their early exit from the ongoing World Cup, he said, "The Indians were dull and flat," during a free wheeling chat at a Hyderabad hotel here on Thursday evening.

On what course Sachin Tendulkar should take regarding his career, Waugh said the decision was entirely the Mumbai maestro's. Tendulkar should ask himself whether he was enjoying the game and then decide, Waugh suggested.

No one is indispensable

Hinting perhaps that no player was indispensable he cited the absence of Australia's fastest bowler Bret Lee in the Caribbean. But Shaun Tait had more than made up for Lee with a 23-wicket haul. "Cricket's always bigger than the individual," Waugh said.

Benchmark for success

On why the Aussies were awesome, he said the team had set itself a certain benchmark, below which it refused to descend. The top players led the way and the younger crop emulated them. On Australia being intimidating, he said those lessons were picked up from the West Indians, who were pretty scary in their prime.

On the books he's written, `Out of my comfort zone,' his most recent, was by far the best, he said, selling 230,000 copies in Australia alone. "It took 900 pages of long hand," he said of the arduous task involved in its writing.

Asked whether he would be India's coach, he said the job was not for him since he had three growing children to look after. Business interests and charities kept him occupied too. But he was open to consulting and mentoring, he said.

Striking a comparison between Greg Chappell and Tom Moody, said the latter was young and hungry for success. Besides Moody's an excellent man manager, Waugh added.

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