Waugh doesn't spare India

SYDNEY, Jan 4 (Reuters/AFP): Australian captain Steve Waugh said India only had themselves to blame after crashing to a 3-0 series loss with an innings defeat in the third and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

The Australian captain dealt swiftly with that suggestions India's players had been hard done by the umpires and said their defeat had more to do with their own approach than by any decision that went against them.

"I would have to say they were pretty negative from the start," Waugh said. "But it's not easy to be positive when you haven't got such a good away record, that's hard to change.

"I can understand a little bit of their thinking, they probably wanted to start off with a good performance in Adelaide which didn't happen.

"After that their confidence was down and once we get on top of a side we are hard to stop."

"Before the season started, we sat down and aimed to win all six Tests at home," Waugh said.

Waugh said the most pleasing aspect of Australia's emphatic series win was the emergence of players like Brett Lee and Adam Gilchrist which he said augured well for the future of Australian cricket.

"We have got the basis of a great team," Waugh said.

"Once the older guys depart, whenever that is, it's going to be a team that can take over and continue the mantle of being the number one cricket side."

The Australian captain also complimented his main fast bowler Glenn McGrath, who sealed India's fate with five wickets in each innings of the final Test.

"Any side with a couple of Glenn McGraths will not be easy to beat," he said.

Waugh said the only real injustice was Tendulkar being chosen as the player-of-the-series.

"I'm not surprised because it always happens to us," Waugh said.

Only two Indian players, Tendulkar and Venkat Laxman averaged over 30 with the bat while Ajit Agarkar and Venkatesh Prasad were the only bowlers to take 10 or more wickets.

"It's been a tough tour for the bowlers and the batters," Tendulkar said.

"It's an altogether different ball game when you play in Australia compared to India.

"But there are quite a lot of things we have learnt on this tour and they should help to broaden our knowledge."

"Our batting and bowling did not click," said the Indian skipper.

"It's not that we don't know how to play abroad, but this time we were beaten by a superior team which outplayed us in all departments."

Indian coach Kapil Dev, Test cricket's leading wicket-taker, said the slow wickets at home contributed to the team's dismal record overseas.

"At home we play on wickets that are low and slow," Kapil said.

"The batsmen make a lot of runs and the bowlers take a lot of wickets, but the problem comes when they are confronted with wickets that have bounce.

"I plan to advise our board to ensure we get sporting wickets in domestic cricket. That's the only way we will improve," he said.

Kapil said that opener Venkat Laxman, who scored a stunning 167 on Tuesday, may be drafted into the one-day squad for the tri-series against Australia and Pakistan starting on Sunday.

"We will request the selectors if they can allow Laxman to stay on," Kapil said. "He batted superbly and deserves a chance in the one-dayers."