Australia to face old nemesis

CENTURION, South Africa, Feb 13 AAP - Maybe Steve Waugh is wrong.

Maybe Sourav Ganguly isn't such a bad bloke.

Ricky Ponting seems to think so after chatting with the Indian captain for half an hour on the eve of the World Cup.

Australia's clashes with India in 2001, the last time they met, were memorable for three things: an epic Test series, a hard-fought one-day tournament and Waugh's intense dislike of Ganguly.

Ganguly infuriated Australia's Test skipper by refusing to take the field during a tour match, spending most of the day on his mobile phone in the dressing room.

Then for five straight games he kept Waugh waiting at the toss, the Australian standing there fuming with his hands on his hips until Ganguly finally strolled over like it was no big deal.

Waugh would be resplendent in his team blazer and baggy green cap and Ganguly would be wearing a sloppy joe like he was off to the movies. Waugh was livid. Where was the respect?

The mere mention of Ganguly's name made Waugh's blood boil. It was assumed Ganguly thought likewise.

But in the lead-up to Australia's World Cup match against India at SuperSport Park on Saturday, Ganguly said he held Waugh in the highest esteem.

"I am a great fan of Steve Waugh," he said.

"The bottom line is that he is a great, great cricketer and I have the deepest regard for him, honestly, probably the most regard I have for a cricketer. Things happen on the field but I thought it was blown out of proportion.

"Small things happened coincidentally and they were blown up as if they were done purposely. As a cricketer he is a champion ... a great man."

Ganguly's run-ins with Waugh led to the perception in Australia that he was a right-royal pain in the neck.

England captain Nasser Hussain has since formed a similarly uncomplimentary view of the man known as "Raj" because of his privileged upbringing.

Ponting isn't so sure.

"I don't really know where that started with him (Ganguly) and Stephen," he said.

"I think they had a few heated conversations out on the ground.

"I actually had a very good chat with him on the day of our official World Cup photo. I probably spent 30 or 40 minutes with him just talking about cricket and about batting and I'd never really done that with him before.

"He sort of stayed away from us a lot. It was nice to have that sort of chat and get to know him a little bit better.

"It's funny - when you play against a lot of people you gather different opinions of them until you get to know them really well."

Ponting said he expected Ganguly to walk with him to the toss on Saturday.

"I think we get fined if we don't these days," he said.

"We have to walk out together, but I don't know if we'll be holding hands."