By Paul Grunill BBC Sport

Series defeats in Sri Lanka and India were the only blemishes on Steve Waugh's hugely successful record as Australia Test captain.

Australia's performances in Sri Lanka have set new standards

It has taken his successor, Ricky Ponting, only two matches to avenge the first.

And the world's top Test side will travel to India later this year confident of setting the record straight after losing 2-1 three years ago despite winning the first Test.

Waugh came out on top in 41 of his 57 Tests as skipper as Australia staked a claim to the title of best side in history.

But it can be argued that the two victories achieved in Sri Lanka are their greatest achievement of all.

Australia were never behind on first innings in any of the 41 matches won under Waugh's leadership.

In the opening Test in Galle, however, they found themselves 161 behind on first innings.

And a week later in Kandy, they conceded a 91-run advantage to Sri Lanka after being bowled out for 120 in just 42.2 overs.

Against any other side in world cricket, Sri Lanka would probably be heading for the third Test in Colombo with a 2-0 lead and the series won.

But instead, they can only shake their heads in disbelief and search for explanations as to how they came to lose a home series for the first time since 2001.

If I'd written the script when I got selected to take two 10-fors and win the series 2-0, people would have tapped me on the shoulder and said 'You're dreaming' Shane Warne

Australia achieved the near impossible with everything stacked against them - oppressive heat and humidity, a powerful Sri Lanka batting line-up and one of the greatest spinners in history, Muttiah Muralitharan.

That they managed to do so is in large part due to the incredible talent of leg-spinner Shane Warne, who has taken 20 wickets at a cost of 15 runs each in his first series after a year out of the game.

But the contribution of their batsmen has been of equal importance with Damien Martyn (twice), Matthew Hayden, Darren Lehmann and Adam Gilchrist all registering high-class hundreds.

One name missing from the list is skipper Ponting, whose highest score in the first two Tests was 28.

But that has been of secondary importance to the Tasmanian, who assumed the captaincy after a two-year apprenticeship in charge of the one-day side which saw him lead Australia to a second successive World Cup triumph.

"We've had our backs to the wall in both Tests and been able to turn it around and win.

"We've spoken about this for a long time - about coming here and winning, and winning in India.

Matthew Hayden's 130 began the comeback in Galle

"We've hung in there and fought and done the things we've had to do to win Tests in the sub-continent," he said.

His view was echoed by team-mate Justin Langer.

"To say this win was significant is an understatement," wrote Langer in his BBC Sport column.

"Of all the series wins of the past few years, this one is up there with the best of them."

The great West Indies side of the 1970s and 80s, led by Clive Lloyd, were the most successful side prior to Australia's recent period of dominance.

But without a top-class spinner available, it is likely they would have been found wanting faced with similar match situations in Sri Lanka.

For Ponting, it's two games in charge, two wins.

Test captaincy's a doddle, isn't it?