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PHOTOS: Steveda meets his beloved kids in Udayan
Kolkata has become Steve Waugh's second home. On Tuesday, the former Aussie skipper was in the city for his charity work with Udayan, a residential centre for the rehabilitation of leprosy patients' children.
He inaugurated a new building for the home, set up with his own funds
"I have been to India 50-60 times since my first trip in 1986 with the Australian Test team, and India has become my second home," he said.
Waugh, whose tryst with Kolkata began in March 1998 when he became closely associated with Udayan. also revealed how meeting Mother Theresa motivated him to join hands with the home and help lesser-privileged children.
"Meeting Mother Teresa was a life changing moment. She motivated me and inspired me to make a difference. My involvement with Udayan gives me immense satisfaction. I began going to the leper colony and see where they came from... experience how they lived," he said.
PHOTOS: Steveda meets his beloved kids in Udayan
On Monday, Waugh said the introduction of lie-detector tests would be a good way to counter the problem of corruption in cricket, when asked on how cricket could get rid of the evil of match-fixing.
"It's unfortunate when things like these happen. There is a need to educate the umpires. And also there is a need to put in place the lie-detector test," Waugh said.
PHOTOS: Steveda meets his beloved kids in Udayan
The Aussie batting great had earlier also pushed for the technology to be put in place, saying the players accused of match-fixing or spot-fixing should take lie-detector tests in order to clear their names.
Meanwhile, speaking on the ongoing Ashes series, Waugh said the current Australian side, which is going through a painful transition, must have the self-belief.
"It's very difficult. But I feel we have the talent and we just need to start believing in ourselves," he said.
PHOTOS: Steveda meets his beloved kids in Udayan
England, who lead the series 2-0, retained the Ashes after the third Test in Manchester was washed out.
But Waugh insisted that the Australia team touring England is not the worst batting unit ever to have played in the Ashes.
"I was the part of the worst batting side ever in 1989 but we won the Test series 4-0. There is a lot of talent here; we got some 500-plus runs in the first innings (of the third Test), so that doesn't make the team's batting worst," he said.
PHOTOS: Steveda meets his beloved kids in Udayan
Waugh also lavished praise on young Steven Smith, who batted well in Manchester, hitting a half-century in the first innings.
"He is a real talent. He plays differently. That's good. He is very aggressive and backs himself. I think he has got a good future in Australian cricket. I like the way he plays."
On Shane Watson's lack of form, Waugh observed, "He has got an enormous talent and once he gets a hundred, he will get a lot more runs. He is frustrated, I am sure, but my advice to him would be to remain patient. Once he makes a breakthrough he will score a lot of runs."