London, Aug. 3 (PTI): Far from being a menace, sledging is a "healthy" way of putting the opposition off their game, feels Australian pacer Andy Bichel.
"I think sledging is healthy for the game. I don't really call it sledging - at the end of the day it is gamesmanship," Bichel was quoted by 'The Guardian' as saying.
"These mind games will always go on when you are out there fighting for your country. There is a lot at stake," he added.
However, Bichel admitted that taking things too far can backfire and players should know where to draw the line.
"...you have to be careful as it can all too easily be portrayed in the wrong light with the number of cameras on the players able to play everything back from all different angles," he explained.
"I have never agreed with personal sledging, no Australian has, but everyone will try to throw another cricketer off their game if they can. The only two people who actually know whether something has gone too far are those involved out on the field," he added.
Referring to the jelly bean prank played on Indian pacer Zaheer Khan by England during the second cricket Test at Trent Bridge, Bichel said the episode was a perfect example of how sledging can backfire.
"In the second Test at Trent Bridge the sledging may have fired Zaheer Khan up. It can work in a bowler's favour because they have six chances to then get the sledging batsman out in every over and it only takes one bad shot."
"The sledging probably did backfire, but the conditions were in his favour and very few batsmen in the world would have been able to handle that situation," Bichel said.
"I think sledging is healthy for the game. I don't really call it sledging - at the end of the day it is gamesmanship," Bichel was quoted by 'The Guardian' as saying.
"These mind games will always go on when you are out there fighting for your country. There is a lot at stake," he added.
However, Bichel admitted that taking things too far can backfire and players should know where to draw the line.
"...you have to be careful as it can all too easily be portrayed in the wrong light with the number of cameras on the players able to play everything back from all different angles," he explained.
"I have never agreed with personal sledging, no Australian has, but everyone will try to throw another cricketer off their game if they can. The only two people who actually know whether something has gone too far are those involved out on the field," he added.
Referring to the jelly bean prank played on Indian pacer Zaheer Khan by England during the second cricket Test at Trent Bridge, Bichel said the episode was a perfect example of how sledging can backfire.
"In the second Test at Trent Bridge the sledging may have fired Zaheer Khan up. It can work in a bowler's favour because they have six chances to then get the sledging batsman out in every over and it only takes one bad shot."
"The sledging probably did backfire, but the conditions were in his favour and very few batsmen in the world would have been able to handle that situation," Bichel said.
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