In cricket sledging is very common, this is done to demotivate your opponent and let him lose control over his game. Most important part is to push the opponent to commit a mistake.
So is sledging new, no it is as old as oceans.
For this we have to refer Indian History. An extract from a newspaper article will open the eyes:
But this decision proved to be a fatal mistake, for when Karna’s chariot wheel got stuck in the mud Shalya argued as king he had never changed wheels, but surely as charioteer’s son Karna would know better, thus showing the sarathi (chariot-driver) turned rathi (chariot-rider) his place in the social hierarchy.
But even before this dramatic event, Shalya kept praising Arjuna’s skill in archery, thus demotivating Karna. It was a charioteer’s job to motivate the chariot-rider, as Krishna motivated Arjuna, but Shalya did the very opposite. The reason for this was simple: he resented being tricked by Duryodhana to fight against the Pandavas, not to mention serving as charioteer to the charioteer’s son. Yudhishtira, on learning of how Shalya had been tricked, had asked his uncle only one thing, ‘Let your body fight for them but let your mind fight for us.’
Source: The Print
Yet another new learning from the Divine Epic Mahabharata.
Salutations to the Divine Sage / Guru Veda Vyasa.
