India's captain Virat Kohli shakes hands with Australia's wicketkeeper Brad Haddin
India's captain Virat Kohli (R) shakes hands with Australia's wicketkeeper Brad Haddin after the final day of the fourth test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) January 10, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray

Australia failed to pay tribute to Philip Hughes in the series against India. That is what BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said about the Australian cricket team.

The respected BBC correspondent feels that the aggressive sledging by Australian players against Indian players went against them. He says that the Australian players have failed to live up to their intentions to pay tribute to their deceased teammate due to their on-field behaviour. The former English bowler has also said that Australia owes it to Hughes to clean-up their on-field behaviour. Agnew said that behaviour of the Australian players was a "real disappointment" as he felt that the players should have behaved in a better way. "Michael Clarke said very clearly that Hughes' memory would run through the team, and would be in the way they would play their cricket," Fox Sports quotes Agnew, "I really hoped that out of this tragedy might have come some good."

The veteran correspondent was in the interview with Radio Times when he said that Australia's on-field behaviour against India was reminiscent of their similar on-field behaviour against England during the Ashes series last summer. Agnew says that cricket should not be abusing and posturing. He says that his aware of the "bad blood" between India and Australia for some years. However, it was an opportunity, he said as he referred to the speech Australian Captain Michael Clarke gave before the series where he said that Hughes' memory would run through the team and would be in the way they would play their cricket.

According to Agnew, the Australian players missed a chance to take something positive from Hughes death. The "in-your-face nastiness" of the Australian against India was not acceptable, he says. Agnew, on the other hand, does not think the bouncer should be banned as hitting batsmen is a part of the game. He is, however, against "the histrionics, the nonsense, the prancing." Even though such behaviour has become accepted, he says it is not acceptable at all. Agnew said that Clarke's speech had people feel how cricket should be played. "We owe it to Phillip Hughes," Agnew said.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@IBTimes.com.au