Bailey expects 'sledging' during T20 WC clash against 'old rivals' India

Australia captain George Bailey is expecting a fiery contest when his men face old rivals India in their opening game of the Super Eight stage in the Twenty20 World Cup on Friday at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, and said he expects sledging from both teams.

One of Australia's older nemeses, Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh celebrated his return to international cricket after more than a year out of the game by taking 4-12 against a clueless England batting line-up last Sunday, and is expected to play against them on Friday.

In form Virat Kohli, who was voted earlier this month as the ICC's one-day international player of the year, has struck innings of 50 and 40 against Afghanistan and England in the World T20 group stage matches, and is also building himself up for a big game against Australia.

"We have players who probably engage in some of that and players who don't," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Bailey, as saying.

Bailey says sledging India's players and handling the banter they fire back hasn't been part of the team's tactical discussions this week.

"That side of things you really focus on what you do. You don't go out of your way," Bailey said.

Bailey also admitted opening batsman David Warner is one player in his camp who'll be keen to get in the faces of India's bowlers, saying: "You'll find that most of those guys who like to verbal, they instigate it. That's the way they get their juices flowing. It gets them switched on. Very rarely do those people wait for it to kick-off. They like to start the fire."