Harris expecting verbal attack

Former Test fast bowler Ryan Harris expects the Australians to ramp up the on-field banter during their Test series against Sri Lanka, which started today in Kandy.

Report & Highlights: All the action from Day 1 in Kandy

Hit hard by injury, suspension and recent retirements, the home side named uncapped players Dhananjaya de Silva and Lakshan Sandakan for the match at the Pallekele International Stadium, their sixth and seventh debutants since Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara retired less than a year ago.

Given Sri Lanka's inexperience at the top level - five of their XI have less than 10 Tests of experience - Harris expects the verbals to start early. 

"They're a very young side so I think our guys will put a bit of pressure on them to put them under the pump," Harris told SEN.

"It's something they might try and come back at and we deal with it pretty well. So it'll be interesting to see how they do deal with it.

"They've got a good leader in Angelo Mathews so I'm sure they're preparing for a bit of verbal pressure."

Leading the way on the verbal front could be recalled spinner Steve O'Keefe, who is well known in Australian domestic cricket for his constant chatter on the field.

Speaking on cricket.com.au's Unplayable Podcast on Monday, long-time state rival and sometime international teammate Peter Siddle expects nothing will change when O'Keefe takes the field for just his third Test appearance.

"We hear enough of that in Shield games - he never stops talking!" Siddle said.

"It's nice to have him on the Australian side now. You're happy to have a bloke who will keep chirping all day. I think the Sri Lankans will get sick of that."

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One man the Australians are expected to put under pressure is Mathews, the side's leading batsman and key medium-pace bowler as well as their captain.

With a lot of responsibility resting on the shoulders of the 29-year-old, Australia's pace-bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc targeted the Sri Lankan skipper during his pre-series media conference last week.

Channelling the great Glenn McGrath by calling out the opposition's captain before the series, Starc noted the significant pressure that is already on Mathews following his side’s winless recent tour of England.

"He'd be under pressure after the English tour and as a captain he'll have to go through that pressure and perform as well," the left-armer said.

"No doubt we'll put a lot of pressure on Angelo to firstly perform and for him he's got to lead as captain."

While the Australians will have devised plans surrounding how to handle Mathews with the bat and in the field, Harris said the days of planned orchestrated verbal attacks are long gone.

"You don't really sit in team meetings now and say 'we're going to smash certain blokes'," he said. "It just happens out on the ground.

"But I'm pretty sure with them being a young side, we'll put them under the pump."