Former Indian cricket team bowling coach Joe Dawes has warned Mahendra Singh Dhoni's struggling men to ignore sledging if they want to beat Australia, claiming that the tourists have a good, young group of men at the centre of the team.
Dawes, who knows the intricacies of Dhoni's men having amicably ended a two-year stint with India in October, insisted that India has the firepower to challenge Australia but only when they nail fundamentals rather than getting involved in verbal sideshows in the Test series, which the tourists currently trail 0-2.
Former Queensland fast bowler Dawes claimed that India is a young brash side, adding that he does like seeing them having a crack but claimed that the biggest thing to learn is one doesn't have to be overtly aggressive, News.com.au reported.
India's Ishant Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Australia's David Warner have all been fined for heated incidents or unsavory gestures during this series.
Dawes claimed that India has a good, young group of men finding their way but added that they would will never out-sledge the Australians, as that is what the hosts grew up doing.
Dawes also said that one doesn't take a backward step but added that one doesn't have to get verbal back in their faces. He added that it's not worth their while as the Australians look for a fight.
Dawes enjoys a close bond with improved 60-Test spearhead Ishant Sharma and express paceman Varun Aaron and has claimed that adding Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar India possesses a destructive, long-term pace battery.