‘Sledge King’ wants to remain calm

David Warner will lead Australia in the remaining three ODIs. (Photo: AP)

Australia stand-in skipper David Warner has admitted that he is usually the main ‘culprit’ whenever there is sledging going on but added that he understands the responsibility that comes with his new role.

Warner was entrusted with the role for the remaining three ODI games of the five-match series after Steve Smith was rested keeping in mind the upcoming series against South Africa.

“I’m usually front and centre and a culprit. I’ve had to tame it down a little after a bit of a good behaviour (bond),” Warner was quoted as saying by news.com.au. “You do have to be careful and you do have to bite your tongue, and I am still guilty of it here and now. I do nudge that line, not cross it, as much as I used to. But that’s just what happens, it's the competitive edge when you're out there and when sometimes things aren’t going your way you do get a bit of white-line fever.”

Warner was penalised by the ICC for yelling at Rohit Sharma during a one-day international at the MCG last year.

In fact, the second ODI in Colombo saw Australia bowler Mitchell Starc and Thisara Perera of Sri Lanka receive warning for breaching the ICC’s code of conduct.