SaralnamaSledging, a verbal tactic used in cricket, is popular among Australian players. It aims to mentally unsettle opponents and break their focus. This strategy, called 'mental disintegration' by Steve Waugh, is ingrained in Australian cricket culture from school level. Teams like England also use sledging, while South Africa and New Zealand avoid it. Sledging began before 1900 in international cricket. Australian captains like Richie Benaud encouraged mental games. In the 1980s, cricket academies in Australia started coaching on sledging. The West Indies team's aggressive approach influenced Australia's sledging tactics. Under captains like Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, Australia dominated cricket using sledging as a key strategy. Indian players like Sourav Ganguly and Virat Kohli later responded to Australian sledging in kind. (Updated 21 Oct 2025, 06:24 IST; source: link)
Key Points
- Sledging, a verbal tactic used in cricket, is popular among Australian players
- It aims to mentally unsettle opponents and break their focus
- This strategy, called 'mental disintegration' by Steve Waugh, is ingrained in Australian cricket culture from school level