When Steve Waugh last toured India, in early 2001, he had complaints galore against Sourav Ganguly's attitude. From the small matter of being made to wait a couple of minutes for the toss, the older Waugh found fault with everything the Indian captain did, a clear sign that Ganguly was getting under his skin.
To Ganguly's credit, he never took a backward step, remaining his own man and eventually masterminding an epochal come-from-behind 2-1 win in one of the most breathtaking series in international cricket.
There, however, runs a mutual stream of respect between two tough-as-nails individuals, both as uncompromising and stubborn as they come. In his column in an Australian newspaper on Monday, Waugh was all praise for Ganguly, writing that whether one liked or disliked the Kolkatan, you couldn't help but respect him for his contributions to Indian cricket.
Quite clearly, Ganguly appeared thrilled to bits when he came to know of this, though he quickly countered, "Who says he doesn't like me?" Then, once the laughter had died down, he made his respect and regard for one of Australia's most celebrated cricketers all too obvious.
‘A champion’
"Whatever happened then was an effort to try and win cricket matches," Ganguly began. "I've said before that he's probably one of my role models. He was a champion cricketer. He led a tough side, he competed hard. He has lifted Australian cricket. What Australian cricket is today has largely to do with him. Now Ricky Ponting is also doing well, but Steve has had a big role to play in bringing Australian cricket to where it is today."
It isn't merely bridge-burning time in Australia now. Even as the Aussies engage each other in verbal warfare, the Indians are out building bridges and setting the record straight. What a pleasant deviation that is from the worn-out script!