India to carry on verbal duels with Australia

CHANDIGARH: The Australians are known for talking aggressively on the field, but the Indian cricket team is not about to let them get away easily this time.

The Indian cricketers are ready to take the verbal duel - so evident in the first three one-day internationals (ODI) between the two sides - right to Australia.

The return aggression shown by the India team - a lot by medium pacer S. Sreesanth and a little less than him by others - has been the highlight of the games.

"We have been aggressive in this series against the Aussies. We will keep it that way. We will not be silent," attacking batsman Robin Uthappa said here on Sunday.

Uthappa went a step further and said the Indian team was all set to take the verbal onslaught to the Australians when the Indian team tour Down Under later this year.

"They have been talking here and we have responded adequately. We will also speak more there," Uthappa said.

"They are experienced in this (verbal duel and sledging). We are getting there," he added, with a wry smile.

The Indian batsman felt that the Indian team was only trying to be aggressive on the field but the media had hyped it up.

"We know where to draw a line," Uthappa said.

Sreesanth, who has been most aggressive against the Australians since the Twenty20 World Championships, has been asked by his teammates to mellow down a little.

"As a team we are fully backing Sreesanth. He has mellowed down a little and that showed in the Hyderabad ODI. But we will all be aggressive," Uthappa said.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni even complained to match referee Chris Broad of England against his Australian counterpart Ricky Ponting after the Hyderabad ODI Friday.

Ponting has maintained that the Australians were showing natural aggression that was required for an international game.

"We don't want to give anything away," he said after winning the Hyderabad game.