Joe Root will be prepared to take his opposite number Steve Smith at his word that Australia were not mocking defeated England as the hosts began the Ashes with a 10-wicket triumph.
Australia captain Smith and debutant opener Cameron Bancroft conducted a slapstick post-match press conference in Brisbane, in which the latter recalled how Jonny Bairstow greeted him with a âhead-buttâ rather than a handshake when they first met in a Perth bar several weeks earlier.
Australia had already made capital out of Bairstowâs unusual introduction when they âsledgedâ him about it in Englandâs second innings, and then were delighted to see the wicketkeeper hole out to third-man as the tourists faltered badly at the Gabba.
As the series moves on to Adelaide, where the inaugural day-night Ashes Test will begin on Saturday, Root wants to think the best of Smith.
âYou look at the pictures from that press conference, and I think itâs very important youâre careful how you interpret that,â he said.
âIâd like to think that Steve has a good amount of humility about him, and that heâs laughing at the scenario and the comments rather than the situation.â
Smith has confirmed publicly he was doing just that, amused by Bancroftâs dry delivery.
Root has also made clear no âsledgingâ should ever veer towards unacceptable topics or remarks. He added: âIâd like to think they know when to stop and when too far is too far.
Addressing the media ahead of the second Test: Steve Smith
âIf they have gone too far then it says more about them than it does about anything else.â
He is, however, broadly in favour of verbal exchanges as batsmen try to establish themselves in an innings.
âI think there is a place for a bit of banter out on the field, as long as it stays as banter and doesnât become more than that.
âYou want there to be a bit of niggle⊠flying around.
âThatâs good for the game â itâs good to watch, itâs good to be involved in. It makes for good television.
âBut there are certain things people know they should and shouldnât say on a field, and itâs important both sides â not just one side, both sides â get that right and have enough respect for each other to not overstep any mark.â
Englandâs response, Root hopes, will be to produce a comeback fuelled by runs and wickets to put the sideshow back in its place.
âI think itâs important we move on really,â he said.
âItâs quite an insignificant part of whatâs such an important series â the cricket should be the thing thatâs the main focal point.
âOur responsibility as players is to make sure that, for the rest of the series, (cricket) is the stuff thatâs spoken about â what we do on the field.
âThatâs got to be our focus, to come back this week and have that individual performance that Steve had in the first game â and have that effect on the series.
âIf one of us can do that, it should lead to us winning this week.â
Provided by Press Association Sport