Rare sight: Kohli tries to calm Warner down after an altercation with Indian fielders.
© AFP
Melbourne: Australia's chirpy opening batsman David Warner has described his team's mental battles with opponents as banter, not sledging, and says he has no plans to curb the exchanges despite things getting lost in translation occasionally. (Also read: Shane Watson shaken after being hit by a bouncer | Watson under observation)
Australia are renowned for their chatter in the middle, which has often put the team in hot water. (Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma arrived late on Day 4 of Gabba Test: Report)
Captain Michael Clarke's menacing warning to England bowler James Anderson to "get ready for a broken ... arm" during the Ashes series cost him part of his match fee but won him more than a few admirers among the Australian public. (Bhuvneshwar Kumar may play 3rd Test vs Australia)
The recent death of Australia batsman Phillip Hughes prompted calls by pundits for cricketers to be more civil to each other out in the field of battle. (Kohli-Dhawan 'clash' caused dressing room unrest: Report)
And for three days of the series-opening Test in Adelaide between Australia and India, it appeared the calls had been heeded. (Haddin ready for aggressive India)
Then Warner, as so often before, managed to get under his opponents' skin. (Indian spinners not too impressive: Brad Hogg)
Warner was given an almighty send-off when bowled by paceman Varun Aaron on day four but had the last laugh when the wicket was disallowed after a television replay showed the bowler had overstepped the crease on his delivery.
Warner would score two centuries for the match.
Since then, it has been 'game on' and Warner said on Wednesday more of the same could be expected during the third Test in Melbourne with the hosts carrying a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
"If it requires a little bit of banter to get the other person talking, that's what is going to happen," Warner told reporters.
"Some players, they don't say anything at all, but then when they do, you know you've gotten into them and they're actually listening to you.
"You know you're in their head.
"I like to go at them, to try and get them to bite back at me when I go out there and bat. At the moment it's working."
Warner was sledger-in-chief during the Ashes series -- even off the field when assessing the struggles of England batsman Jonathan Trott. India has proved a bit of a challenge, though.
"It's quite tough with nations that speak different languages," Warner said.
"The aim for us it's not really sledging, it's more banter."
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