Michael Clarke and Simon Katich duel over Australia’s "non-aggression pact"

Former Australian players Simon Katich and Michael Clarke got involved in a verbal duel due to their difference of opinions on the Australian Cricket management’s recent non-aggression pact. While Clarke thinks that the players need to continue playing the same brand of cricket while Katich disagrees.

"You don't need to be best mates with everyone. Australian cricket, I think, needs to stop worrying about being liked and start worrying about being respected," former Australia captain Clarke told Macquarie Sports Radio.

"Play tough Australian cricket. Because whether we like it or not, that's in our blood."

Clarke also said that the Australian team is not out there on the field to become the most liked team in the world but to win. 

"If you try and walk away from it, we might be the most liked team in the world, we're not going to win (anything). We won't win a game. Boys and girls want to win."

Steve Smith and David Warner were banned from all International and Domestic Cricket by the Australian Cricket Board for their involvement in the ball tampering saga that took place in Cape Town earlier this year. Even Cameron Bancroft was banned for nine months for the same incident. Hence, Katich felt that the players need to stay within the boundaries and don’t cross that virtual line.

"What's been forgotten in all of this is we blatantly cheated and the reason we're at this point now, and what led us to this point, and we talk about the line that was talked about for so long," he said.

"The point is, we were caught for blatantly cheating and we have to rectify that as soon as possible to earn back the respect of the cricketing public in Australia and worldwide.

Katich also felt that due to their on-field attitude the Australian team was one the most disliked team in cricket and that came to fore during the ball tampering event in South Africa.

"We've been a disliked team for a number of years through that on-field behaviour and it obviously came to a head in Cape Town.

"They can still play the Australian way in terms of playing competitive and playing fairly, but not going over the top and going across the rules like they did in Cape Town."