'India is my second home' - Steve Waugh strengthens ties between India and Australia with new role

Former Australian captain Steve Waugh is planning to visit India next month after signing up to join the board of the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR), an Australia government-backed body established in 2013.

Waugh bookended his Test career against India, making his debut at Melbourne in December 1985 and playing his final Test at Sydney in January 2004. Over the years, he faced some of India’s greatest cricketers, from Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Having visited India nearly 40-50 times over the past four decades, Waugh considers the country his second home. With many close friends in India, he said this bond was a key reason behind his decision to join CAIR.

“I am like the 12th man on the (CAIR) team at the moment, learning how it all operates… It’s great to be part of it… Obviously, an unbelievable relationship with India over 40 years. I thought it’s a great thing to be part of continuing to strengthen the relationship between Australia and India. Huge opportunities going forward. And if I can play a part in that, then I’m happy,” Waugh said to The Indian Express.

We can share our expertise in sport: Waugh

Waugh, famously nicknamed the ‘Iceman’ for his calm composure during testing moments on the pitch, highlighted the significant role sport plays in strengthening ties between India and Australia. He also clarified that he is selective about the commitments he takes on, noting that he does not serve on many boards and prefers to dedicate his time only to work he is genuinely passionate about.

“Obviously, sport plays a major role…one common thing, particularly cricket. But I know that India really wants to do well outside sports, besides cricket, the Olympics is coming up… I think we can share our knowledge and expertise in sport, and I’m sure India can share some things that we need in Australia,” Waugh said.

“I sort of do my own thing. I’ve done that for a long time, been a mentor for the Australian Olympic team, soccer teams, started my own businesses, written 14 books, two photography books… I’m 60 now, so I won’t be wasting my time… I’ve got to do projects now that are worthwhile and that I’m passionate about. I don’t want to do things for the sake of it,” he added.

Mother Teresa influenced me: Waugh

The all-rounder also recalled a transformational meeting in Kolkata with Mother Teresa, which left a lasting influence on him. Over the years, he has been deeply involved in charity work in India, most notably through the Steve Waugh Foundation, which supports children from leprosy-affected families in Kolkata. The foundation helps raise funds for Udayan, a home that provides these children with education, healthcare, and vocational training.

“Meeting Mother Teresa influenced me… it sort of pricked my conscience that maybe I could do something worthwhile… She was the star, not me. I was in awe of her, and it was a brief conversation, but I think just the impact of her lifelong work was pretty amazing. And I thought if I can emulate that in some small way, it’d be a good thing,” Waugh said.

Waugh also spoke about his desire to contribute to strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. He praised the humility of the Indian people and reflected on the arc of change he has witnessed in India over the decades, noting the country’s rapid transformation and expressing amazement at its remarkable progress.

“Cricket is the foundation there for me, because that’s the starting point… it’s a young population in India, very aspirational, entrepreneurial, and that’s something I like. I like people having a go. That’s what I like about India. People are very humble, friendly. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, of course, for someone like myself, but I’ve never had a problem there with that,” Waugh said.

“Every time I go to India, you see something new that’s sprung up overnight. Take the last 10 years. Well, the airports became international standard very quickly. And then developments, housing developments, changed massively over the years. Look, when I first went to India, no one took any note of a traffic light or a lane. Now, people stay in the lanes, they stop at traffic lights. That’s been a big change over 40 years. I’m amazed that it’s changing quickly,” he added.

Harbhajan Singh was the most fearful: Waugh

Waugh also shared his thoughts on ways to further strengthen bilateral ties, stressing the importance of education. Speaking about his experiences in India, he revealed some of his personal favourites, from dishes like okra, fish curry, and dal to memorable moments such as playing cricket in Dharamsala with a team of monks.. When it comes to Indian cricketing greats, Waugh named Kapil as his favourite.

“Look, I’m not an expert but I think education is something we can sort of definitely share experiences with. We’re renowned as leaders in education in the world, so that’s something we can definitely share. Every time, I eat too much food. People bring all the food out at 8 or 9 pm… I think it’s finished, but that’s only the entree, and then my meal comes at about 10.30 pm,” Waugh said.

Waugh admitted that, from his perspective, Harbhajan Singh was the most feared Indian cricketer he faced. Looking back on his illustrious career, he singled out Australia’s triumph in the 1987 World Cup final at Eden Gardens as his most cherished victory.

“Harbhajan Singh, because he kept getting wickets against us…I wouldn’t say we feared him, but he did the most damage against us in the 2001 series. The best win was in the 1987 World Cup final at Eden Gardens, with 100,000 people, with all of India cheering for us because we’d beaten Pakistan in the semi-final, and our adversaries England had beaten India,” said Waugh.

Waugh also voiced his views on the absence of India-Pakistan cricket contests, calling it a shame that the two nations no longer play each other regularly. He emphasised the importance of reviving the rivalry and expressed his willingness to play a role in bringing the two countries closer through the sport.

“Obviously, you’d love to see India and Pakistan play cricket regularly but that doesn’t happen, which is a huge shame because the cricket world wants to see that. I’m sure cricket supporters in both countries want to see that, but there’s obviously bigger powers at play, and that can’t happen right now…,” said Waugh.

“You think sport can overcome that and be bigger than that, but sometimes it can’t… you gotta have a go. I think it’s easy to sort of give up and say it’s not possible, but anything’s possible with the right will and right intent. So yeah, I would be happy to (play a role in getting India and Pakistan to play each other)… maybe, by talking to you right now about it, we’re helping,” he added.

Waugh also shared his thoughts on the younger generation and the impact of technology, stressing that sport remains a powerful teacher of life lessons. He encouraged children to spend more time outdoors, not to be afraid of making mistakes, and to embrace failure as part of the learning process.

“When we grew up, there were no mobile phones, so you went outside and played sports. Now, the kids carry their phones the whole time… For me, sport is great because you’re interacting with other people. You’re learning life lessons. And it’s not always about yourself. It’s about being part of something bigger than you. So that’s really important. For kids, I think these days I’d say, have a go, back yourself. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or fail,” he concluded.