Mike Whitney clearly remembers the day he sledged Indian batting great Ravi Shastri – and immediately looked for a hole to crawl into it when the serve was returned.
“It was Shane Warne’s first Test and we’re at the SCG. Sachin Tendulkar got 148 and Ravi got 200,” Whitney recalled.
“I was 12th man and came on to field and Ravi, who had a bit of a pulled hammie, turned one to me just behind square leg.
“I got to the ball really quickly and said to Ravi ‘get back in there you so and so’.
“He turned to me and said ‘Whitters, if you bat and bowled like you talk, you would not be 12th man’.
“He put me right back in my box. I’m giving him a gobful and I’m not even playing.”
MORE: 'He'll come back better': Matthew Wade comments on James Pattinson's suspension
Whitney recalled his Shastri encounter as a backdrop to the controversy surrounding Australian paceman James Pattinson.
Pattinson has been suspended for one game – the first Test against Pakistan starting Thursday – after allegedly aiming a homophobic slur at Queensland quick Cameron Gannon.
While not condoning Pattinson’s actions for a minute, Whitney fears cricket may be in danger of losing its bite in this new sanitised world.
“As a fast bowler, sledging is part of your armoury,” he told Sporting News.
“I don’t remember any racial or personal taunts when I was playing, but running down the wicket saying, ‘I’m going to stick the next one under your chin’ is all part of the game.
“Try telling Merv Hughes or Geoff Lawson or Len Pascoe they can’t sledge. I hope we don’t go down that road.
“As long as it’s not personal, (sledging) is part of the game as far as I’m concerned.”
The introduction of on-field microphones has changed the game forever.
No longer does what happens on the field, stay on the field.
During the Marsh Cup clash between Victoria and NSW on Sunday, Fox Sports would periodically mute the commentators for an entire over so all you could hear was the bowler, wicket-keeper and batsmen.
“I think it’s fantastic. I love it. It brings those at home into the game, but you’ve got to be very careful what you say out there,” Whitney said.
“There are cameras and microphones everywhere. You can’t step over the line.”
BRING HIM BACK: Whitney backs Usman Khawaja for Test recall at unfamiliar spot of No.5
Asked how the firebrands of his day would have reacted to on-field mics, Whitney said with a laugh: “If someone said, ‘we’re going to pay you a million dollars a season but you’re not allowed to swear’ everyone would have said ‘here’s my bank account number, let’s go’.”