We did our best, says dejected Waugh

Faisal Shariff in Madras

"This is ******* unfair," screamed Glen McGrath as he returned to the dressing room after Harbhajan Singh dug out an inswinging yorker to score the final brace and record one of the most scintillating comebacks in the annals of Test cricket.

Unfair it surely was for the Australians, who, after a resounding triumph in Bombay inside three days, had seemed set to rewrite history by winning a series in India after 31 long years. In the event, history was indeed rewritten, but it was the Indians who did the honours.

The War had been lost and Steve the Leader was for the first time eating humble pie at a press conference after two successive defeats. The inspirational captain whose thoughts were always incisive today sounded banal.

Sitting at the desk in the brightly light hall of the M A Chidambaram Stadium without his shoes, 'Tugga', as he is affectionately called by his teammates, had no emotion on his vacant demeanour, the sorrow quite well disguised by the brave front he put on.

"Either side could have won the game. Looking back I think we did not expect the opposition to lift themselves up like this. Laxman's innings [in Calcutta] provided the impetus to the team and they picked themselves up very well," he said.

Asked how big the disappointment of defeat was after having so many feathers in his cap, Waugh defended his team: "The way we played, I think it was a feather in the cap. Winning is not everything. I always ask 100 per cent of my players and if you have given your 100 per cent then that is all I ask for."

Defending his bowlers, the skipper said, "Warne can't do it every time. He gave his 100 per cent, as he always does. His figures weren't great, but they weren't useless either. McGrath bowled accurately in one area, Gillespie was outstanding. He bowled his heart out. You can't really blame anyone."

Denying that the team had a weakness against spin bowling, Waugh shot back, "We play spin very well. We just had some bad sessions. When you go in to bat, you just have to hang in there. The first 10-20 minutes are pretty unnerving, but then, after you have overcome that, it's fine."

Did the Aussies not have a plan to cope with Harbhajan Singh? Did they discount him in their scheme of things?

"We knew he would play. We didn't know that he would take 32 wickets," he joked.

Waugh had a parting shot. "You guys are the judge. Judge us. We performed to the best of our ability, but we lost the series in India. Numbers don't reflect the case. But you all know, you all were here."

As a gentle breeze blew across the ground, a man sans his shirt was jogging along the sidelines; John Buchanan, the Australian coach, has been there through the series, watching and analyzing the struggle to do the undoable.

I asked, as he passed by, "What does this defeat teach you, John?"

"Humility," he replied, the disappointment in his eyes shielded well by the sunglasses. "It's a humbling experience to know that you have done all that you could have and still lost."

Then, in the next breath, he continued, "I think we didn't do our homework well and the Indians were better than we thought they would be."

Amongst the ruins in the Australian dressing room sat Steve Waugh, his favourite baggy green in place, staring at defeat, at what could have been, as he sipped his drink.

We learn from history that we do not learn from history.

More on Day 5 of the third Test:
For Australia, it's the Lost Frontier
Magical 'Bhajji' thanks Kumble, Wright
Adam Gilchrist in Real Audio
Slide Show: Victory for India!
Batting capitulation proved to be Australia's undoing

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