Wade won't shy away from verbal showdown

Matthew Wade says he is not as antagonistic as he once was behind the stumps, but the keeper is happy to enter a verbal battle with India if it helps Australia.

Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade won't be afraid to fire some barbs back at India in Ranchi, admitting the hosts' antagonist approach had come as somewhat of a shock in the second Test.

India were largely quiet and courteous in the field during the four-Test series opener in Pune, where Australia recorded a shock victory.

Virat Kolhi urged teammates to be far more loud and lippy in Bangalore. The captain led the way, making a throat-slitting gesture after the fall of one wicket and aggressively swearing at most batsmen.

Whether coincidence or correlation, India levelled the series.

Wade noted on Sunday, when Australia returned to training for the first time since the 75-run loss, that "emotion doesn't win Test matches".

But the chirpy keeper has no qualms about trying to match fire with fire in the clash that starts on Thursday, should it help Australia's push for a 2-1 series lead and retention of the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

"I feel like I play my best cricket when I get in the contest ... that's a big part of my game," Wade said.

"Getting older, I probably tamed it down a little bit and I probably know when to use it a little bit more now, and when I need it myself.

"If there's a time I think it can be an advantage for us, sure - I'll go for it.

"If it's needed, I'll definitely use it, but we've got to play them on skill - not emotion."

Kohli and Steve Smith will meet on Wednesday alongside incoming match referee Richie Richardson, who has been put in an awkward position by his employers.

Richardson must convince Kohli and Smith to change their sides' behaviour, despite the International Cricket Council clearing all 22 players involved in one of the most-heated Tests of the modern era.

"They're always aggressive. The change from the first Test to the second Test was probably the initial shock," Wade said, likening India to a "caged lion".

"They came out a lot harder.

"We expect it for the rest of the tour.

"Our job is to make sure they can't get in the game, so they can't get aggressive with us."


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Source: AAP



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