Ian Chappell says 'abusive' sledging shouldn't be confused with playing 'tough' cricket

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has said that venting abuses on an opponent player should not be confused with playing tough cricket.

Adding his voice to the heated debate over what is verbally acceptable on the cricket field and what is not, Chappell pointed out that gamesmanship and the odd expletive in anger or frustration has always been part of the game, although he urged the checking of abusive/offensive comments and constant 'inane chatter' from the fielding side.

According to News.com.au, Chappell said that the administrators failed to recognise a potential problem in the Gabba and curtail the amount of chatter on the field, adding that it is the players who then pay the price when an incident occurs.

Warning that such abusive sledging may give rise to a physical confrontation, Chappell also said that there is nothing tough about certain players using team environment to camouflage snide comments out of the corner of the mouth or hidden by the back of a hand, adding that it is more of a sign of weakness from a player.

According to Chappell, the outbursts at the Gabba are a warning sign that the verbal warfare is escalating, adding that sentences that include the words 'broken arm' and 'pretty weak' are extremely pointed, provocative and personal.

Unlike the past, when abuses were purely spur of the moment and usually in the heat of the moment, Chappell however, said that nowadays such abuses are premeditated and used by the fielding side as a 'strategy' and compared it to one-sided gang warfare.