MUMBAI, India - Australia has taken a massive psychological advantage over India as it chases its goal of winning a series here for the first time in three decades according to captain Steve Waugh.

Australia beat India by 10 wickets inside three days in the first Test and did so in after telling the Indians exactly how it was going to turn out. In the pre-match hype, Waugh specified how he would bowl first if he won the toss and would try to blast India out of the match - and the series - in the first session.

It all came to fruition and Waugh now believes the Indians will struggle to pick themselves up for the second Test starting in Calcutta on March 11.

"Psychologically, this was a very significant win," Waugh said.

"You only had to look at the Indians' body language when they went out there for seven overs at the end - they were pretty down.

"In that respect, I think we've made some inroads for the next Test match."

After talking up their own chances, the Indians morale won't be helped by the fact skipper Sourav Ganguly was booed by his supporters at the

presentation and his team had been slated in the press since game began. Australia will go into the next game feeling invincible after coming through a testing search of their mental and physical powers here.

Waugh acknowledged Australia benefited thanks to a "lucky" dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar (65) which sparked a major batting collapse as India lost 8-65 to be all out for 219 - a lead of 46, which Australia knocked off in exactly seven overs.

Tendulkar went after he hit a pull shot onto Justin Langer's shoulder at short leg and the ball ballooned to square leg where Ricky Ponting sprinted around from midwicket to take the ball while flying parallel to the ground.

"That was a major turning point," Waugh said.

"But it shows that if you hang in there long enough things will turn around. It was a pretty lucky catch but at the same time Ricky Ponting has still got to take that catch and make the most of that opportunity."

Waugh said that sort of chance fell Australia's way because of the commitment shown in the field.

"It was pretty hard out there - there was a lot of noise when the Indians were batting - but we kept our cool in tough situations.

"We've leaned our lesson from previous tours where we tended to rush a bit when the crowd was geeing up the home side.

"This time we pulled back a bit, relaxed, took a deep breath and focused on the next ball.

The other major point for the Australians was the first-innings partnership between Adam Gilchrist (122) and Matthew Hayden (119) for the sixth wicket, with Waugh paying them the highest possible compliment for their 197 runs off 195 balls.

"The way Gilchrist and Hayden played yesterday, there were glimpses of how Sir Donald Bradman would have played for sure," Waugh said.

"They were two of the great Test match hundreds."

The Australians will have today off to wallow in their glory before a training session at Wankhede Stadium on Saturday and a flight to Delhi on Sunday for a three-day game against a Board XI.

© 2001 AAP