Calcutta: Sledging has been an integral part of Australian cricket. And often it is directed at the biggest threat in the opposition ranks. But it seems the Aussies are going to make an exception for Virat Kohli.

Opener David Warner has said that his team doesn't intend to sledge India captain Kohli in the upcoming Test series as it can backfire.

Speaking after Australia's three-day warm-up game against India A ended in a draw, Warner said: "For us, it's about going out there and playing our brand of cricket. Virat Kohli is one of those players, if you niggle at him, it makes him better, or if you get under his skin, he'll probably get even better. He's a world-class player at the moment and for us, it's about going out and playing the best cricket we can.

"We're not going out there to entertain the idea of sledging or banter. It's out there and playing good cricket and a great brand of cricket and making sure it's in the spirit of the game," Warner said.

Apart from Kohli, the other Indian player who will keep the Aussies worried is spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Warner claimed that they have done their homework.

"Well if he says he's bowling at 60 to 70 per cent then Jesus, what else has he got? 24 or 25 five-fors in the last 12 months, bowling at 60 to 70 per cent. I'd hate to see 100 per cent then. We've got our plans. Everyone's got their plans against Ashwin. He's a very, very good bowler. We understand that.

"There are other bowlers that we have to be mindful of. So we know that he will play a crucial role in this series, but as I have always said, we just have to adapt to the conditions and assess when we're out there.

"The guys are in a great frame of mind, we're ready to go. We're pumped up... It's been a much-anticipated series, so we're really looking forward to getting out there."

The left-handed Warner, however, said that mental toughness was the key to doing well in India.

"It's been a long time since we've played Test cricket there. The last time we played here it was my first time, so it was tough. It was challenging. Me as a player, I really learned a lot about myself back then. I was a bit younger, and a bit childish in a way. So I've learned a lot in the four years since then.

"You've got to have your plans in place, and you've got to stick to them. The biggest challenge here is to be mentally fresh. You've got to have mental toughness. You've got to be willing to grind it out and bat time here... You've seen the players that come over here and have success - they're the ones that have great mental toughness.

"The ball is going to get soft fast. They're going to bowl tight lines early on with the ball swinging, and then you've got to assess. Whether it's letting the ball come to you, rotating the strike, attacking or defending the spinners.

"You've got to have that mindset, and you've got to be positive with that and you can't second guess yourself. If you second guess yourself, you're out, so you've got to stick to your plan and adapt out there," he added.