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Verbal abuse will not be tolerated through the sequence with fierce rivals India, Australia coach Justin Langer mentioned Wednesday, promising his group had moved on from their days of harsh sledging. Previous clashes between the cricketing heavyweights have been marked by bitter rows, and Australian opener David Warner mentioned this week that he expects Virat Kohli’s males will attempt to wind him up through the tour. But Langer mentioned the Australians would preserve any exchanges throughout the spirit of the sport.
“There’s plenty of room for banter, having fun and having that competitive instinct but there’s no room for abuse,” he advised reporters on a convention name.
Langer took over in late 2018 vowing to alter the win-at-all-costs mentality that led to the notorious ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
He mentioned the tradition of the group, as soon as infamous for sledging, or verbal abuse, was now completely different.
“Anyone who’s watched what’s happened in the last couple of years (can see), we’ve talked about our behaviours on and off the field,” he mentioned.
That doesn’t imply it is going to all be sweetness and light-weight, with Langer pointing to a heated verbal change between Kohli and Australia’s Test captain Tim Paine throughout India’s final tour in 2018-19.
“We loved what Virat Kohli was doing, there was a great sense of humour and a great sense of theatre to it all,” he mentioned.
Langer hinted he was taking a conservative strategy to Australia’s essential choice dilemma: whether or not rising star Will Pucovski ought to substitute out-of-form veteran Joe Burns on the prime of the batting order.
“We think very, very highly of Will, he has enormous talent. When the opportunity comes, he’s ready to play Test cricket,” he mentioned.
“The opportunity hopefully will come for him at some point, whether it’s this series or a series to come.”
While all indicators are that Burns will get the nod, Test greats akin to Michael Clarke, Ian Chappell and Mark Waugh have been clamouring for Pucovski’s inclusion after the 22-year-old plundered back-to-back double centuries for Victoria.
Australia and India will play the primary of three one-dayers in Sydney on Friday, adopted by three Twenty20 matches and 4 Tests.
Langer mentioned the tour was economically essential for cash-strapped Cricket Australia, but additionally a welcome distraction for cricket lovers in all places through the Covid-19 pandemic.
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“To watch Australia and India is going to be great entertainment,” he mentioned.
“Hopefully it’s going to put some smiles on people’s faces, that’s the bigger picture we’re looking at.”
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