Australia captain Steve Smith warns India of 'verbal battles'

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Mumbai, Feb 14: Australian captain Steve Smith today (February 14) declared that they will resort to "verbal battles" against India in the 4-Test series starting in Pune on February 23.

Ind-Aus series schedule; Indian squad out

The Australian Test team arrived in India on Monday (February 13) and in his first press conference, in Mumbai, Smith said they will continue to be agressive and also sledge the opposition, led by Virat Kohli.

"I think each of our individuals play the way they play and if they want to get into a battle verbally, then, if that gets the best of them, then go for it," the 27-year-old Smith told reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday.

He continued, "It is all about us making sure that we individuals are in the right mindset. Go out and succeed. Of course if you want to get into those battles, then go for it. In the end it is about us playing on skill and making sure that our skills are in the best place to succeed in these conditions."

India and Australia on-field rivalry has, in the past, seen incidents of altercations between players.

Before the team's arrival in India, Smith, in Australia, had said they will try and make Kohli "angry".

"He (Kohli) is a very emotional character out on the field, but I think he has improved a lot there. I guess for us as a team it's trying to get him out of the strong emotional state and try and make him, I guess, a little bit angry and ruffle his feathers and things like that.

"I think if you can get him in that state then the Indian team can possibly be a little bit vulnerable," Smith had said in December.

Australia have not won a Test series in India since 2004. During that tour, they claimed the 4-match rubber 2-1, after 35 years, under Adam Gilchrist (Led in 1st 3 Tests) and Ricky Ponting's captaincy. On their previous tour of India in 2013, Australia were handed a 4-0 whitewash.

Australia are the current holders of Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won 2-0 in the 4-match series in 2014-15 at home.

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