Cricket: Sharma gives fan the finger after sledge

Ishant Sharma. Photo / Getty Images

India captain MS Dhoni's decision to give his players an extra day off training on Monday ended in more drama with pace bowler Ishant Sharma giving a one-finger salute to a fan at a Perth go-kart session.

Dhoni felt it would be good for the tourists to get away from cricket ahead of Friday's third Test in Perth, with India trailing 2-0 in the four-match series.

Sharma was greeted by a fan at the go-kart centre in the Perth suburb of Belmont as the fan asked: "Why don't you go learn how to bat and bowl before you go go-karting. It will be three-nil mate.''

Sharma responded, as captured on the back page of Tuesday's edition of the The West Australian newspaper, with a one-finger salute as he turned his back to get back on the bus.

India's Virat Kohli was fined half his match fee during the second Test in Sydney last week for flipping the "bird'' one-finger gesture in response to taunts from the crowd.

India batting great Sunil Gavaskar has criticised the side following the Sydney Test, saying they need to work more, not less.

Gavaskar said the tourists would be better off having a two-day warm-up game in Perth to help prepare for the fastest pitch in the country.

"The attitude has to be there. You have to go there and practise cricket,'' Gavaskar said.

But Dhoni said it was important to "de-stress a bit''.

"There may be a few individuals who want to spend a bit more time on the field but I feel it's always important to switch off in cricket,'' he said.

India are due to train at the WACA ground in Perth on Tuesday ahead of Friday's third Test.

- AAP