Australian cricketing legend Steve Waugh on Tuesday praised former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly, crediting him with having instilled toughness in the national side.
According to a report in DNA, calling Ganguly a "great captain", Waugh said: "He brought toughness to the Indian side".
However, Waugh parried a query on comparing Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni as captains. "There are both good. But they are different as captains," he told mediapersons at Udayan, a home for children of leprosy patients at Barrackpore, 25 kms from Kolkata. Waugh has been one of the major patrons of the home, where the children affectionately call him "Steveda" and "Steve uncle".
Meanwhile according to a report in The New Indian Express, Waugh backed the struggling Australian team, who is trailing 0-2 against England in the ongoing Ashes after the rain-marred third Test ended in a draw. "Well they did quite well in the last Test match. It's a young side that is capable of becoming a good side but it will take some time," the former Australia skipper said.
However, Waugh said it would be difficult for Michael Clarke's men to level the series 2-2. "If Australia can make it 2-2, it will be an amazing result. But it's going to be difficult," he said.
According to a report in Indian Express, skipper Steve Waugh believes technology is here to stay. At the same time, he said DRS cannot be successful without good umpiring. "I'm no Nostradamus. I can't tell what lies in the future — whether DRS will be persisted with or not. But I believe it is here to stay. I have said many times the DRS is a very good system. But the umpiring hasn't been probably as strong. Umpires still play the most important role and good umpiring is mandatory for DRS (to be successful)," said Waugh.
Waugh knows that India don't like DRS and admitted that the BCCI has some genuine concerns. "Everyone needs to interpret the system better. Of course India have their reservations. I think in the future there will be some technology that players as well as the media like," he said.