By Paul Grunill

When Steve Waugh declared last December that he would like another crack at winning a Test series in India before retiring, it seemed a very remote prospect.

WAUGH'S TEST CAREER Born: 2/6/1965 Test debut: December 1985 Tests: 161 Runs: 10,365 100s: 31; 50s: 46 Highest score: 200 Average: 50.31 Wickets: 91 Catches: 109 Test captain from Feb 1999 to present Waugh praises team effort

Having lost the one-day captaincy earlier in the year, there were those who were questioning his place in the Test side.

But now, following a record 37th win as Test captain, a trip back to the sub-continent in 2004 is looking a certainty, unless injury denies him the opportunity.

Australia's 2-1 defeat in March 2001, after winning the first Test and forcing India to follow-on in the second, is the only serious blot on Waugh's spell in charge.

He has broken former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd's total of 36 Test wins in only 50 games.

That represents a success rate of 74 per cent - which is 11.5 per cent higher than any other captain who has led a Test side in at least 20 games.

Waugh's Australia have also made a habit of winning Tests well inside five days, and he has no qualms about doing so, whatever the revenue implications for the organisers.

"A lot of games are finishing early, but I think the quality of cricket we put out in that period of time is much better than five dull boring days," he said.

The 38-year-old is convinced that modern day crowds wants to see attacking cricket in all forms of the game, not just one-day matches.

Australia found defeat in India hard to swallow

"That's the way cricket should be played and if all the countries can take a leaf out of that book, then it's good for world cricket."

After completing a 4-1 home series win over England last winter, Waugh took his time before confirming that he wished to continue his career.

Only his family and close friends know how seriously he contemplated the alternative.

He wants to walk away on his own terms, rather than suffer the same fate as twin brother Mark, who had the decision to retire from Test cricket made for him when he was dropped from the team.

But after informing the selectors of his availability for the tour to the West Indies, he said: "I feel as if I'm playing really well and if I retired now, I think I'd be selling myself short."

None of his team-mates are in any hurry for him to go.

Even heir apparent Ricky Ponting, who has already lifted a World Cup as one-day captain, said he was "thrilled" by Waugh's decision to tour the Caribbean.

Winning in India is the ultimate goal Steve Waugh

That tour resulted in a 3-1 series win as Waugh equalled Lloyd's record, and victory over Bangladesh in the first Test to be staged in Darwin put him in a class of his own.

So what, apart from winning in India, is there left for Waugh to achieve?

His 100 not out against Bangladesh was his 31st Test hundred, putting him level with Sachin Tendulkar, and only three behind record-holder Sunil Gavaskar.

It also took him to 10,365 Test runs - just 809 short of Allan Border's total at the top of the all-time list.

If Waugh does stick around until the tour to India, it's a fair bet he will surpass both.

He could then announce that Waugh is finally over.