Sydney, Jan 21 : The distractions created by the world record pursuit of winning 17 Tests in a row and the fallout from the acrimonious Sydney Test that witnessed India's threat to pull out of the series following the three-match ban on Harbhajan Singh, resulted in the Australian team losing the edge and finally losing the Perth Test by 72 runs, said former Aussie coach John Buchanan.

The Perth loss reminded Buchanan of Aussies' defeat in Calcutta in 2001, which had also deprived Australia of its 17th consecutive victory.

"It took me back to Calcutta, when after India's first innings we were expected to win. In that situation sometimes the way forward is not as clear as it should be," The Age quoted Buchanan as saying.

He added: "Having been involved when there are records on, and with all the distractions occurring between the second and third Tests, that's all part of it. It (the record) is what everybody expected. People were talking up the wicket, that it was likely to be over in three days. All of those things can play a part in the end."

Buchanan further said that the Perth loss will have a galvanising effect and said the players would march to Adelaide with "clearer minds" for the fourth Test beginning Thursday.

Dismissing the notion that Australia's dominance was waning, he said its greatness should be judged over a 10-year-period, not by the length of its winning streak. "Australia is not invincible but over the movie length they are an incredible side, so let's not get caught up in the snapshot of 16 wins or anything like that," he said.

He admitted, though, that the simultaneous departure of the retired champions would continue to embolden opposition teams to believe they could topple the Australians.

ANI