Sydney (AFP) - Explosive Australian opener David Warner on Monday defended a heated on-field exchange with Indian batsman Rohit Sharma in which he demanded the Indian cricketer "speak English".

Warner said the verbal fireworks at a one-day international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday earned him a fine of 50 percent of his match fee from the International Cricket Council.

The Australian fielders had taken offence when the Indians went for a single off an overthrow which they wrongly believed was in breach of cricket etiquette.

"When I went over to say something to him, he sort of said something in their language and I said 'speak English' because, if you're going to say something for me to understand, theoretically I cannot speak Hindi," Warner told Sky Sports Radio.

"So I did the polite thing and asked him to speak English, therefore he did and I can't repeat what he said."