LAHORE Vanquished skipper Mohammad Yousuf says Australia are the best Test cricket team in the world. Maybe thats not surprising coming from the captain of the fourth consecutive Pakistan side to be at the dirty end of a three-Test series clean sweep against the Aussies, reported an Australian news agency. International Cricket Council ratings put India and South Africa ahead of Australia with Pakistan sixth and West Indies eighth. But Yousuf, who says hes happy overall with his young inexperienced side, claims Australia are the tops. Yes, the best team because theyre a good side with all good players, he said in response to a reporters question. If you see the statistics they have good batting averages, good bowling averages, the wicketkeeper average nearly 40 (runs), they have a good side. Pakistans fielding, with 14 dropped catches, the same number grassed in New Zealand, was Yousufs greatest disappointment. A lot of catches were dropped, thats why we lost the series, otherwise maybe a different result, said the patient skipper who sometimes baked but never abandoned his players. He said they did the best they could with what talent they had. And although the Pakistanis continue to let themselves down with dropped catches, Yousuf rejected the need for a fielding coach, saying they had one for a series in England in 2006 and dropped 20 catches. The problem is not the coaching, its the players who need to focus on their fielding, he said. Australia skipper Ricky Ponting said there should be no general concern about the quality of both opponents this summer. Everyone thought Pakistan were going to beat us, he said. Ponting said Pakistan were a better side than the West Indies and Australia played better against Pakistan, although they didnt play at their best. Both of those teams when they play their best cricket will push any team. But its a matter of them being able to do it for long enough spells and thats what you have to learn in this game. What we are starting to see now from some of our younger guys is the ability to do that. Weve seen moments of brilliance from some of them for short periods of time, as we saw through the Ashes. But when you can do it for long periods of time that makes teams win games. Pakistan pushed us and had their moments in Sydney and the West Indies pushed us in Adelaide but they couldnt do it for long enough to get themselves a win and thats what they have got to keep striving to do. Asif emerges best bowler from Pakistan Fast bowler Mohammad Asif has become the highest wicket-taker from the Pakistan side with 13 wickets after the top wicket-taker of the series turned out to be Australian Nathan Haurtiz. Haurtiz took 18 wickets to lead the bowlers in the three-match test rubber between the two countries. Australia swept the series with comprehensive wins in all the three matches. Pakistans leggie Danish Kaneria was the second highest wicket-taker from Pakistan and third of the series with nine wickets while Mohammad Aamir has eight. Asif, however, conceded 322 runs in 126 overs he bowled during the series. Meanwhile, Mohammad Asif has expressed his desire to play in the India Premier League third edition and the chances are that the Pakistan pacer, back in international cricket after serving a one-year ban for a positive dope test, could be considered as a replacement player for the IPL III. He, however, is not part of the January 19 auction. IPL officials and his agents in Pakistan have confirmed to DNA that the 27-year-old troubled pacer has been in touch with the league officials. Hes very keen to be play in IPL. He has got all-clear from the government and can also travel to India, a report quoted his agent. He has got in touch with the IPL authorities. We understand that he will not be part of the auction, the report added. Asif, currently playing for Pakistan in Hobart, could not be reached for comment but a top IPL official confirmed to that he is in the replacement list. The franchisees can a replace an injured foreign player with another. For instance, Chennai can sign another player in place of Andrew Flintoff who is ruled out for the IPL III. That arrangement, however, will be outside the auction. Asif had a successful comeback, particularly in the recent Sydney Test where Pakistan came close to beating Australia. Before getting a one-year ban for a negative dope test conducted during IPL I in 2008, Asif had played for Delhi Daredevils.