Cricket icon Steve Waugh feels Australia can play a major function in “serving to” India change into a world sporting superpower by offering experience in key areas corresponding to know-how, high-performance teaching, sports activities science, and sports activities medication.
Whilst India dominates world cricket on and off the sector, Waugh stated Australia can undoubtedly help the nation in Olympic sports activities.
“They don’t want any assist in cricket. They do it very properly in India. However they’ve the sports activities the place Australia can undoubtedly assist,” Waugh stated throughout an interplay on the sidelines of an occasion.
“We’ve obtained the most effective of know-how. One of the best sports activities science. One of the best sports activities medication. Sportswear. A few energy manufacturers in Australia, in that sporting space.
“So we now have obtained the know-how and experience in Australia. That may undoubtedly assist India change into higher at sports activities,” the previous Australia captain added.
Australia is thought for its sturdy and vibrant sports activities tradition and the nation has persistently produced legends throughout disciplines, one thing India nonetheless lacks.
Talking about his childhood days, Waugh reminisced, “Sport was every little thing to me. I went to highschool principally to play sport. It was sport 24×7. After which training. I fitted that in alongside sport.
“India is the opposite manner round. Schooling is primary. And then you definately wish to play a little bit of sport.
“However only in the near past I’ve seen a change. There may be much more concentrate on sport in faculties and training establishments.
“Australia is actually nice at that. I do know that India are very eager to have a optimistic affect on the world stage, not simply in cricket however on the Olympics. I feel Australia can actually allow you to.”
Additionally learn | Kapil Dev to share classes on management and life past cricket at PlayCom 2025
Waugh has fond reminiscences of his early days in worldwide cricket, together with his debut collection in 1986 in India and the World Cup the next yr, when the staff triumphed after getting into the match as rank outsiders following the departure of a number of the nation’s most interesting cricketers.
“We have been most likely not one of many higher groups on the planet again then. And we performed this superb collection in opposition to India, together with the tied Take a look at in Madras.
“That was a little bit of a turning level for Australian cricket. That collection, we began to consider that possibly we might be an honest aspect once more. The next yr was 1987, the place we have been rank outsiders for the World Cup right here in India.”
Waugh, a greenhorn then, performed his half within the staff’s maiden World Cup title triumph, his ice cool temperament disaster impressing everybody.
“We ended up profitable that World Cup at Eden Gardens in entrance of 100,000 folks. And fairly extremely in that remaining, we had everybody supporting us.
“As a result of within the semifinal, we’d be in Pakistan. And our adversaries in India can be within the semifinal. So, we’d flip up at Eden Gardens and there was 100,000 folks cheering for us.
“It’s the one time it’s ever occurred in India we had folks cheering for us. That was an awesome expertise,” Waugh recalled.
Printed on Sep 11, 2025