New Delhi, Nov. 8: Injury-ravaged Australia sealed the seven-match ODI series with a thumping win at Guwahati on Sunday and proved that there is still a gap between the No. 1 and 2 sides in the world. India might be within touching distance of the numero uno spot on the ODI rankings in theory, but are still some way from rightfully staking claim to that position.

One of India’s most successful Test captains, Mohammad Azharuddin, believes that the bane of this team is inconsistency.

"The team need to be more consistent over a period of time. In this series they lost a couple of close contests and with a bit more experience the result could have gone either way," Azharuddin said at the concluding session of the Sports Medcon in the capital on Sunday. "The talent is there no doubt, but they have some way to go to lay claim as the top team in the world," he added.

Azharuddin, who played 99 Tests and 334 ODIs in his 15-year long career, believes Indian cricketers are guilty of not following the physical trainer’s guidelines assiduously.

"I notice there are still some cricketers who are carrying a paunch on the field. As a result, they concentrate on only reducing that instead of working on their entire body," the former India skipper said.

On his own fitness, Azhar said, "Luckily I was ahead of my times. I spent a lot of my time concentrating on fitness and gym as well as fielding drills. I am still conscious about my diet because I believe in the simple fact — once a sportsman always a sportsman!" The 46-year-old Member of Parliament said he learnt the importance of sports medicine only after 1987 when Dr Ali Irani joined the team as a physio.

"Although Dr Irani wasn’t very experienced when he joined the team, he learnt with time. On tours with the Indian team, he spoke to doctors in Australia and South Africa and looked after us well for over a decade," Azhar said.

Narrating an experience about his own injury during the 1987 World Cup, Azhar said, "I was struggling with a pelvic injury throughout the tournament. I played through the pain and even top-scored for the side in the semifinal but even if we had qualified for the final, I don’t think I would played.

"At that time, my injury wasn’t diagnosed very well and I kept on taking cortisone injections for almost five years. As a result, my weight increased and I struggled with my form."