McGrath insists he has no idea what decision his friend will make

Waugh, the Australia Test captain, has yet to announce whether he is available for the tour, which begins at the end of March.

He has been given until Sunday to make up his mind so that Australia's selectors can finalise the tour party.

"I would like to see him continue," McGrath said. "He is still a very good captain and he has a lot to offer to the team.

After hitting a century in the final Ashes Test in Sydney, Waugh has enjoyed superb domestic form, including a double-ton against Victoria.

In all first-class cricket this season he has scored 899 runs at an average of 47.31, an aggregate bettered only by Queensland's Martin Love, who has 1,105 runs in one more match.

His New South Wales side take on Queensland in the Pura Cup final, beginning on Friday.

"The guy is going out there and still scoring runs and playing with the desire and passion to continue in the game," McGrath argued.

Maybe he is still trying to work it out McGrath on Waugh

McGrath said one factor that might persuade Waugh to play on would be the prospect of a tour to India next year, a country where Australia have not won a Test series since 1985-86.

"I am sure that is in the back of his mind, to go to India and win," he said.

"The sub-continent, more so India, is the one place we have not really won yet and I am sure he would be pretty happy to call it a day after that."

McGrath is one of Waugh's closest friends.

Waugh was best man at his wedding in 1999 and when a bush fire threatened the Waugh family home in December, McGrath helped fight back the flames.

But the pace bowler insisted he had no idea what decision his state team-mate would make.