New Delhi, Aug 05: Captain Sourav Ganguly said that his young team is prepared to counter the notorious Australian sledging during India's forthcoming tour in November. According to Ganguly, "The players have learnt to live with it". "It (sledging) happens. There are a bit of words exchanged on the field these days. It happens with every team. But the players have learnt to live with it," Ganguly said.
"Sledging has become part of the modern-day cricket, but it is a minor issue which should not be blown out of proportion," Ganguly said in an interview.
The Indian captain said that he agreed to some extent with Sunil Gavaskar's observations that sledging has degenerated into "personal abuse" but refrained from making a comment on the war of words between Gavaskar and former Aussie speedster Dennis Lillee.
"I don't totally disagree with Gavaskar. These things happen. But I have not heard all that they have said, so I am not in a position to make a statement," Ganguly said.
On whether his team has started preparations for the Australian tour scheduled later in the year, the Indian skipper said that "It's still too early. We still have three-four months. We know what the conditions will be in Australia, We know what to expect.
"It is going to be a tough tour. We have to be honest and work really hard and raise our game if we have to compete with them," the Indian skipper said.
Australia is slated to come down to India for a triseries, with New Zealand as the third team, in October. India would then go to Australia for a test series in November.
Ganguly sought to draw comfort from the fact that the Australians have not won an away test series against India in the past three decades and said his team would try to capitalise on their vulnerability on Indian tracks during the triangular series to be held after the two-test series against New Zealand.
Bureau Report