"I admired how desperate they were to win. That's why they have won so many Test matches," Ganguly said on the sidelines of the practice game against the Australian Capital Territory Invitational XI at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.

"They sense a chance of a win and would do anything to get it," he said.

Ganguly, who has led India against Australia in a World Cup final, found a lot to admire in the way Ricky Ponting's men played the game.

"When they came out on to the field for the World Cup final, they looked different. They play their cricket in a different way than the rest of the teams."

However, Ganguly said it was "not impossible" for the younger Indian players to develop that attitude.

Harbhajan Singh has been in the eye of the storm in the aftermath of the second Test with allegations of racial abuse, but his former skipper, who was not on the field when the altercation took place, doubted that the off-spinner made such a comment.

"I doubt he (Harbhajan) said that. But there is a lot of pressure in the middle during a Test match and things can come out," Ganguly said.

He was not surprised that it became a big issue once it was reported and stressed that personal abuse had no place in the game.

Australians were accused of not playing in the spirit of the game in Sydney, but Ganguly admitted he did not know what the term meant.

"I don't know what 'spirit of the game' actually means. Unless you don't make a fool of yourself on the field and don't cross the line, you should be OK," he quipped.

Ganguly's contentious dismissal on the final day of the second Test was perhaps the most controversial incident of the game.

"I edged it and immediately looked behind to see it fall short. But the umpire asked the fielder who said it was a clean catch.

"We had an agreement before the series to take the fielder's word. But the umpire should have used his judgement also and asked (square-leg umpire) Steve Bucknor or the third umpire," he said.

Indians are 0-2 down with two Tests left in the series but Ganguly said it was a "happy" team and looking forward to show "how good we are" at the pace-friendly WACA ground in Perth.

Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian in the present touring party to play a Test match in Perth and Ganguly was banking on something special from him this time.

"I saw his hundred at WACA in 1992 and have always told him that it is his best century," Ganguly said.

However, he felt that the team's preparation for the tough tour Down Under was far from ideal.