Sourav Ganguly

Canberra: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has said Australia’s conduct on the final day of the Sydney Test showed how desperate they were to win that match.

“I admired how desperate they were to win. That’s why they have won so many Test matches,” Sourav said on the sidelines of India’s warm-up tie against ACT XI at the Manuka Oval here.

“(If) they sense the chance of a win they would do anything to achieve that,” he said.

Australians were accused of not sticking to the spirit of the game in Sydney, but the left-hander admitted that he did not know what the term meant.

“I don’t know what ‘spirit of the game’ really means. Unless you make a fool of yourself on the field and cross the line, you should be okay,” he said.

The left-hander, who led against Australia in the 2003 World Cup final, found a lot to admire in the way Ricky Ponting’s men played the game.

“When they came out on to the field for the World Cup final, they looked different. They play their cricket in a different way from the rest of the teams.”

However, Sourav said it was “not impossible” for the younger Indian players to develop that attitude.

The former India captain felt that the team’s preparation for the tough tour Down Under was far from ideal.

“We needed at least two practice games before the first Test. I told the Board that one tour match was not enough and we were underdone going into the Melbourne Test,” he said.

Harbhajan Singh has been in the eye of a storm, but his former skipper, who was not on the field when the altercation took place, doubted that the off-spinner actually made such a comment.

“I doubt he (Harbhajan) said that. But there is a lot of pressure in the middle during a Test match and things can come out,” he said.

He was not surprised that it became a big issue once it was reported and stressed that personal abuse had no place in the game.

The former India captain’s contentious dismissal on the final day of the second Test was perhaps the most controversial incident.

“I edged it and immediately looked behind to see it fall short. But the umpire asked the fielder who said it was a clean catch.

“We had an agreement before the series to take the fielder’s word. But the umpire should have used his judgement also and asked (square-leg umpire) Steve Bucknor or the third umpire,” he said.

Indians are 0-2 down with two Tests left in the series but Sourav said they were a “happy” bunch looking forward to show “how good we are” at the Waca in Perth.

Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian to play a Test in Perth and Sourav felt he’s due for something special.

“I saw his hundred at the Waca in 1992 and have always told him that it is his best century,” Sourav said.