England's wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler has opened up on how Australians can use tactics to sledge England team in the upcoming series, starting on June 13. Buttler feels maybe verbally Australia will sledge, however tactically and as per team strength, they are still a tough side to beat.
Jos Buttler, the England wicket-keeper has been in a spectacular form since the Indian Premier League and even in the second Test against Pakistan where he hammered unbeaten 80 and equalled the series 1-1.
On the other hand, Australian Test side needs to rebuild and construct their temperament for their upcoming battle against England. The absence of Steve Smith and David Warner will be really tough for the team with an injured pace department. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Hazlewood are injured and will miss out playing the series.
Australia has a new coach, Justin Langer and a new captain, Tim Paine as well. It will be really interesting to see how do they hold the whole unit in difficult circumstances.
"Maybe verbally, but I don't think tactically and cricket wise they'll still be an aggressive side," Buttler said on Friday (June 8). "Everyone's opinion on the word sledging, everyone determines that differently. My interpretation of sledging is completely different to yours, to Justin Langer's to Eoin Morgan's. So there are always going to be grey areas.
"There are obviously loads of different techniques, there is a grey area, I don't understand what's allowed and what isn't. People always say, "I know where the line is" but it depends on whose line it is. It's a very hard area to judge.
"You wouldn't walk down the street and abuse a postman if he didn't deliver the letters in the right way. But at the same time, in professional sport, what did Steve Waugh call it? Mental disintegration - If you're making someone in the middle think about something else and not 100 per cent focused on the ball coming then you're gaining an advantage," Buttler added.
Jos Buttler also knows the tactics of the new coach as he has played under Justin Langer for the Somerset in the County cricket. "The mantras he lives by I saw a little bit. They'll be a highly-disciplined, hard-working team with a hard-nosed, competitive edge. They're still going to have that side, it's international cricket, it's hard and competitive. So I think they're coming, as well, with a bit of a point to prove and to put (the ball-tampering) behind them and start playing cricket again. So I expect a really tough series and tough cricket on the pitch."
While Tim Paine will be leading Australia's ODI side, Aaron Finch is held responsible to lead Aussies in the shortest format of the game.
