Australia v India 2014: Allan Border says Aussies should tone down sledging

THE Aussies must return to their aggressive, intimidating brand of cricket - but tone down the sledging, writes former Test captain Allan Border.

8.12.2013 - Ashes 2nd Test, Australia v England, Adelaide Oval - Day 4. Mitchell Johnson stares at Joe Root. pic Calum Robertson

THE Aussies must return to their aggressive, intimidating brand of cricket - but tone down the sledging.

I expect Darren Lehmann and his players to make a team edict to ‘’go hard’’ at the Indians in the Adelaide Test.

It may be easier said than done, especially for the fast bowlers.

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But I reckon Lehmann will be in the ear of his players, telling them to play a hard-edged Australian brand of cricket in memory of Phillip Hughes.

Phillip would not have expected anything different.

That being said, I don’t expect there will be much chirping in the middle from the Aussie players.

This is not the summer to get involved in heavy sledging.

I am not expecting a repeat of the scenes of the Ashes last summer when Michael Clarke told Jimmy Anderson to get ready for a broken arm.

This will be a more mellow Australian side, especially in the short-term.

It is going to be tough for the players to feel like they are enjoying their cricket because they will feel guilty if they are seen smiling and laughing on the field.

My advice to them is just to go out and play hard, aggressive and honest cricket. But leave the chirping and the verbals for another day.

Mitchell Johnson stares at Joe Root during last year’s Ashes series. Picture: Calum Robertson.

The cricket world has been brought closer together by the Phillip Hughes tragedy and the dignified response of other Test playing nations has been so impressive.

All eyes will be on Adelaide next week and many will be eager to see if Michael Clarke can recover from his hamstring injury to lead Australia in a very emotional match.

If Clarke is not fit, the Marsh brothers will become the first two brothers since the Waugh boys to wear the baggy green cap together.

It would be an incredibly proud moment for my trusty vice-captain and great mate Swampy Marsh.

Swampy has had a heavy influence on his boys, even though Mitchell and Shaun are very different players to their Dad.

The Marsh boys grew up in an attacking, power-hitting era of cricket so it is no surprise that they are very attacking batsmen.

But Shaun and Mitchell can both knuckle down and play the dour type of innings their old man was known for.

DANIEL Vettori is an incredibly impressive person and his true colours were on show again this week.

New Zealand and the Brisbane Heat’s champion spinner did not feel it appropriate to announce he was retiring from Test cricket, given the Phillip Hughes tragedy.

Vettori is unlikely to add to his record 112 caps for New Zealand but he didn’t want to make a fuss of it.

The man is all class and he will be such an asset for the Heat in the Big Bash this summer.

Young cricketers can learn so much from Vettori.

It is fabulous to see the way he conducts himself off the field and the way he prepares and plays his cricket.

Originally published as Australia v India 2014: Allan Border says Aussies should tone down sledging