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"India are a hard team, they use it (sledging) to their advantage very well" : Matthew Wade

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"India are a hard team, they use it (sledging) to their advantage very well" : Matthew Wade

How far has India come from the days of being the most clueless and spineless cricketers in handling sledging

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MELBOURNE: Australia wicket-keeper batsman Matthew Wade on Tuesday said he might stay away from sledging during this year's home Test series against India as he feels Virat Kohli and Co thrive on verbal duels and use it to their advantage.

Wade has used sharp words to get into the skin of his opponents in the past, especially in the 2017 India ODI series and also during last year's Ashes.

However, the 32-year-old said he would not want to engage in verbal confrontations with Indian players as it might only spur on the visitors.

"They're a hard team, they use it (sledging) to their advantage very well. Virat is very clever the way he uses his words or his body language. So they use it as an advantage now. To be honest, I don't really want to engage too much into that," Wade told reporters via video conference.

"I know that they thrive off that energy that comes between two players. They're probably as good at doing that as anyone in the world at the moment, so it's something I might stay away from this time."

The four-Test series between India and Australia is scheduled to begin with the first game at Gabba starting December 3.

The second, third and fourth Tests are slated for Adelaide Oval (Dec 11-15), Melbourne Cricket Ground ( Dec 26-30) and Sydney Cricket Ground (Jan 3-7) respectively.

Wade, who has played 32 Tests, 94 ODIs and 29 T20Is for Australia, said India are a fierce opponent with a bunch of good fielders.

"I have been luckily enough to play India but I haven't played them in Australia, played them twice in India which is hard work. They are a fierce team," he said.

"They are on your face, they have alert fielders which probably India haven't been renowned for in 20 year period, they are up and about all the time when you are batting."

India's pace attack has thrived under Kohli in the last few years and Wade also pointed out that fast bowlers will be India's potent weapon in Australia.

"They have fast bowlers as well that has come through in the last 4-5 years, so it will be interesting playing India in Australia and probably their pace is their big weapon when they come here.

"It will be a great challenge for the group ... we're developing all the time. We're a little bit more settled team right now, over the last 12-18 months."

Australia will also play a Day-Night Test against India for the first time when the two teams meet in the second game at Adelaide Oval and Wade hoped the COVID-19 pandemic will subside by then and crowd will be back at the stands.

"The pink-ball Test will be amazing. I know we played a lot of them in Australia in the past, (but with) India it'll be a different scenario. The crowd will be, well fingers crossed, the crowd will be buzzing then. Hopefully, we can have big crowds when that comes about," he said.

Confined to his home due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown, Wade said he wants to make it to the limited-overs team if Australia's proposed tour of England in September goes as per schedule.

However, Wade knows he might miss out if Glenn Maxwell returns to the team.

"I'd love to be on that tour. I'd say Glenn would come back into that team, he's one of the best players in the world at T20 so he'll come back in at some stage," said Wade, who will return to training with Tasmania this week after undergoing a knee surgery in May.

"I see myself as that spare player, the spare batter, the spare keeper ...so that's what I'm probably striving to maintain."

https://www.newindianexpress.com/sp...-kohlis-hard-india-gives-reasons-2154259.html
 
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More like we thrive on getting nice IPL contracts if we are nice to them
 
Paine’s sledging in 18/19 was legendary

Completely agree with op though, mentally strong team driven by kohli
 
That’s disappointing to read. Always thought India were the good guys of cricket . “Mentally strong“ doesn’t have to mean being obnoxious. The Windies in their great period barely said a word.
 
India’s mental shift was started by Ganguly but Kohli has turned into a phenomenal and confident team who don’t take crap from anyone.

Certainly the best Asian Test captain ever in my opinion. The winning culture that he has created and the rate at which he wins Test matches is remarkable.

He is well on his way of eclipsing G. Smith as the most prolific Test captain ever.
 
Lol great mental shift always falling short in the semi finals or all serious away Test series.
 
India’s mental shift was started by Ganguly but Kohli has turned into a phenomenal and confident team who don’t take crap from anyone.

Certainly the best Asian Test captain ever in my opinion. The winning culture that he has created and the rate at which he wins Test matches is remarkable.

He is well on his way of eclipsing G. Smith as the most prolific Test captain ever.

Steve Waugh, Clive Lloyd and Ricky Ponting say hi
 
More like we thrive on getting nice IPL contracts if we are nice to them

IPL judges on quality and not on sledging. Warner has sledged Indian players before and still has a IPL contract.

If Pat Cummins sledged Virat Kohli, he would not be picked in the IPL even though he is a top performer?

Nonsense.
 
IPL judges on quality and not on sledging. Warner has sledged Indian players before and still has a IPL contract.

If Pat Cummins sledged Virat Kohli, he would not be picked in the IPL even though he is a top performer?

Nonsense.

Tell that to Michael Clarke.
 
I would prefer a well mannered team, this sledging stuff is nonsense and should never be a part of the sport. Politeness and playing tough, hard cricket can and should go hand in hand. Many kids across the world wanted to emulate the antics of that ATG Aussie side (Waugh, Ponting), today those kids are in their prime cricket ages and bad behavior has become part of modern day cricket. Dravid never had to say a word, his batting did the talking, same with Ambrose whose stare was enough to make his point. So many legends were great at their discipline and also gentlemen, why not emulate them?
 
Lol Check mate

Kohli has 33 Test wins in 55 matches. The win percentage is the third greatest in history.

In terms of total number of wins, he is only behind S. Waugh, Lloyd, Ponting and Smith, and considering the fact that he still has 4-5 years of captaincy left, he will sure end up as the most prolific Test captain of all time.

Not to mention he has helped India to one of the lengthiest reigns as the number 1 ranked Test team.

In addition, he has scored 5,000+ runs as captain at an average of 60+.

The vast majority of players would dream of retiring with these achievements, but he is only 31.

Furthermore, he has the distinction of towering about the rest (including de Villiers) in the most bowling-friendly Test series of all time (in SA 2018) which was the only Test series in history where every single wicket fell.

Learn to respect true greatness.

Kohli is a once a in a lifetime cricketer and you will have to wait for another 150+ years to see a player of his immeasurable talents and capabilities.
 
Kohli has 33 Test wins in 55 matches. The win percentage is the third greatest in history.

In terms of total number of wins, he is only behind S. Waugh, Lloyd, Ponting and Smith, and considering the fact that he still has 4-5 years of captaincy left, he will sure end up as the most prolific Test captain of all time.

Not to mention he has helped India to one of the lengthiest reigns as the number 1 ranked Test team.

In addition, he has scored 5,000+ runs as captain at an average of 60+.

The vast majority of players would dream of retiring with these achievements, but he is only 31.

Furthermore, he has the distinction of towering about the rest (including de Villiers) in the most bowling-friendly Test series of all time (in SA 2018) which was the only Test series in history where every single wicket fell.

Learn to respect true greatness.

Kohli is a once a in a lifetime cricketer and you will have to wait for another 150+ years to see a player of his immeasurable talents and capabilities.

You stop being the Indian flag bearer please. Our Pakistani boys will show him how it is done. Babar Azam will be the most successful test captain ever and score 10k plus test runs.
 
Kohli has 33 Test wins in 55 matches. The win percentage is the third greatest in history.

In terms of total number of wins, he is only behind S. Waugh, Lloyd, Ponting and Smith, and considering the fact that he still has 4-5 years of captaincy left, he will sure end up as the most prolific Test captain of all time.

Not to mention he has helped India to one of the lengthiest reigns as the number 1 ranked Test team.

In addition, he has scored 5,000+ runs as captain at an average of 60+.

The vast majority of players would dream of retiring with these achievements, but he is only 31.

Furthermore, he has the distinction of towering about the rest (including de Villiers) in the most bowling-friendly Test series of all time (in SA 2018) which was the only Test series in history where every single wicket fell.

Learn to respect true greatness.

Kohli is a once a in a lifetime cricketer and you will have to wait for another 150+ years to see a player of his immeasurable talents and capabilities.
No thanks, I choose to respect what I find truly great, and Ricky Ponting is my greatest captain.

As for your analysis, 33 wins but not a single one against your arch rival, home or away. He played cricket when Pakistan reached number 1 under Misbah. So I would rather see actual facts (which he has nothing to back up on) rather than fan fiction theories which you will produce right after my post.
 
Tell that to Michael Clarke.

Andrew Symonds was highest paid overseas player in IPL just months after Sydney test fiasco

Clark never got big contract in IPL inspite of his good boy image - probably bcoz he was not a good T20 player
 
No thanks, I choose to respect what I find truly great, and Ricky Ponting is my greatest captain.

As for your analysis, 33 wins but not a single one against your arch rival, home or away. He played cricket when Pakistan reached number 1 under Misbah. So I would rather see actual facts (which he has nothing to back up on) rather than fan fiction theories which you will produce right after my post.

Pakistan are not India’s arch-rivals these days. A mediocre mid-table side has no rivalry with an elite top 2 team like India.

Pakistan actually didn’t reach number 1 under Misbah. They actually reached number 2 but due to the washout between India and West Indies in the 4th Test in 2016, Pakistan got the number 1 spot.

Thus, we became number 1 under Misbah due to a stroke of luck that was out of our control.

Furthermore, it was our good fortune that we didn’t play Kohli’s India who would have comfortably beaten us in the UAE.

I didn’t write any fan-fiction. I wrote facts.

Fact: Kohli has 33 Test wins (only 4 captains have won more)

Fact: Kohli has the third best win percentage in history.

Fact: Kohli averages 60+ as captain

Fact: the 2018 South Africa vs India series is the only series in history where every single wicket fell, and it is also a fact that Kohli was the best batsman of that series.

Fact: Kohli has achieved all of this by the age of 31.

Don’t let jealously consume you. Kohli is a bigger cricketer than anyone in Pakistan’s history.
 
You stop being the Indian flag bearer please. Our Pakistani boys will show him how it is done. Babar Azam will be the most successful test captain ever and score 10k plus test runs.

Babar might score 10k runs because he has the ability.

Unfortunately, he has no chance of being the most successful captain ever because Pakistan is a pathetic team and that will not change.
 
Tell that to Michael Clarke.

I follow and watch the IPL. I don't need Micheal Clarke to tell me anything.

If you actually look at the team lists you will see players are judged on quality and not if they say nice things about India.
 
I follow and watch the IPL. I don't need Micheal Clarke to tell me anything.

If you actually look at the team lists you will see players are judged on quality and not if they say nice things about India.

Sure mate. Sorry to hurt your sentiments
 
If you give Ponting’s ATG team to Imran Khan, even he would become greatest captain. Come with something new.
 
Kohli is more of a ”loud-mouth” rather than a good sledger and confident imo. But overall yes, India seems to have gotten a spine which is the result of years of consistency and good results.
 
Babar might score 10k runs because he has the ability.

Unfortunately, he has no chance of being the most successful captain ever because Pakistan is a pathetic team and that will not change.

Very quick to judge Babar. He’s barely captained over 5 matches.
 
Very quick to judge Babar. He’s barely captained over 5 matches.

I’m not judging Babar; I’m judging the Pakistan team.

Babar might prove to be a tactical genius but he will always be handicapped by the mediocrity of Pakistan.

Nevertheless, he should aim high and try to emulate Kohli and Dhoni, the GOAT Asian Test and LOI captains.
 
India has gotten better in sledging under Kohli. Sledging also becomes automatically effective when team is performing well.
 
If you give Ponting’s ATG team to Imran Khan, even he would become greatest captain. Come with something new.

I don’t think Ponting was a good captain. He was tactically inept, easy to wind up, and lost the Ashes three times (a record). But his bad decisions were covered up by his great team and in particular Warne and McGrath. When they retired he started losing.
 
Kohli has 33 Test wins in 55 matches. The win percentage is the third greatest in history.

Highest win % as Captain in Test Cricket

Steve Waugh - 71.92
Ricky Ponting - 62.33
Virat Kohli - 60.00
Mike Brearley - 58.06
Kane Williamson - 56.25
;-)
 
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Aussie cricketers and sucking up to Indians - name a better duo. :afridi
 
I think team India are nice guys with talent. Aussies get intimidated when they see someone with more talent than them, so they don’t know how to react.

They don’t need to stoop low to use bad words, use your God given gifts and put fear into opposition that way. Eg Dhoni.

Not everyone can balance sledging with performance. Some people get carried away in the sledging and their concentration suffers, leading to a midfield, getting out, or hit for a six.

Only Kohli can sledge and perform because he can stay present and not get consumed by anger. It’s a true art. He also doesn’t get consumed by anxiety or fear, and so usually clutches wins in tight situations where most buckle regardless of skills (Eg the entire country of South Africa).

Just my thoughts on this. It’s a risk v reward thing. You can look like a tool if you suck as a player but sledge, but can have an aura of a babar (azam) sher if you add good sledging antics to already an elite player. It will amplify your intensity and really put you in the spotlight.

MMA follows this logic too in recent years. Kohli is cricket’s McGregor.
 
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