Matthew Hayden has been reprimanded by a Cricket Australia (CA) Code of Conduct Commission for calling India's Harbajhan Singh an "obnoxious weed".
Hayden was charged by CA chief executive James Sutherland for breaching the detrimental public comment rule and the charge was upheld by Commissioner Ron Beazley.
He was issued with the reprimand after a marathon hearing in Melbourne on Wednesday evening.
Hayden spoke briefly after the hearing and hinted his desire to defeat India in the upcoming finals series to start on Sunday at the SCG has increased.
"I maintain my innocence, my intentions were never to denigrade cricket or anyone," he said.
"That said, the umpire has made his decision and in the spirit of our own code of behaviour and our great game of cricket I respect and accept this decision."
"We've got a trophy out there in the next few weeks that I'm really keen obviously with my team-mates to concentrate on now, we want to win this trophy as badly as any other."
Indian response
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, quoted by the BBC, said that it was pleased CA had decided to act following Hayden's comments.
"The BCCI is happy that Cricket Australia has taken note and acted on this," chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said.
"For a player to go on the radio and talk about another visiting player is something that has really shocked us.
"We have told our team management that they should not react to such incidents. They should focus on cricket," Mr Shetty told BBC, adding that although the comments were against the spirit of the game, they would not jeopardise the rest of the tour.
'Obnoxious weed'
Hayden had told a Brisbane FM radio show he has had an eventful history with Harbhajan.
"It's been a bit of a long battle with Harbhajan," Hayden said on radio.
"The first time I ever met him he was the same little obnoxious weed that he is now.
"His record speaks for itself in cricket.
"There is a certain line that you can kind of go to and then you know where you push it and he just pushes it all the time.
"That's why he has been charged more than anyone that's ever played in the history of cricket."
Hayden was one of the players the Indians accused of provocative behaviour in last Sunday's game at the SCG.
He said the only reason the Indians were whingeing was because they were "losing every game they are playing."
"I called him a bad boy," Hayden insisted.
"He took offence to that and I thought that was quite funny."
The opening batsman also took a light hearted swipe at young Indian quick Ishant Sharma, who was fined 15 per cent of his match fee after an exchange with Andrew Symonds on Sunday.
"He is just young. I have said to him many times, 'You are 19, take it easy'," Hayden said.
"He is 19, why doesn't he just worry about his bowling for a while?
"I like the idea of actually getting into the ring. I like that, let's bring that one on."
Harbhajan returns fire
Harbhajan wasted little time in firing back at Hayden, saying the Australian was disliked by most international opponents and his comments were borne out of the frustration the Australians felt at being pushed by an improving Indian team.
"Maybe they realise that they no longer are the undisputed champions of the world. Maybe, they feel the crown is slipping," Harbhajan told the Indian news agency PTI.
"Otherwise, why would a cricket veteran ask a 19-year-old to join him in a ring?
"I don't want it to be a slanging match ... but you only need to speak to international cricketers and international teams to know in what opinion they hold Hayden."
Story from ABC NEWS
Hayden was charged by CA chief executive James Sutherland for breaching the detrimental public comment rule and the charge was upheld by Commissioner Ron Beazley.
He was issued with the reprimand after a marathon hearing in Melbourne on Wednesday evening.
Hayden spoke briefly after the hearing and hinted his desire to defeat India in the upcoming finals series to start on Sunday at the SCG has increased.
"I maintain my innocence, my intentions were never to denigrade cricket or anyone," he said.
"That said, the umpire has made his decision and in the spirit of our own code of behaviour and our great game of cricket I respect and accept this decision."
"We've got a trophy out there in the next few weeks that I'm really keen obviously with my team-mates to concentrate on now, we want to win this trophy as badly as any other."
Indian response
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, quoted by the BBC, said that it was pleased CA had decided to act following Hayden's comments.
"The BCCI is happy that Cricket Australia has taken note and acted on this," chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said.
"For a player to go on the radio and talk about another visiting player is something that has really shocked us.
"We have told our team management that they should not react to such incidents. They should focus on cricket," Mr Shetty told BBC, adding that although the comments were against the spirit of the game, they would not jeopardise the rest of the tour.
'Obnoxious weed'
Hayden had told a Brisbane FM radio show he has had an eventful history with Harbhajan.
"It's been a bit of a long battle with Harbhajan," Hayden said on radio.
"The first time I ever met him he was the same little obnoxious weed that he is now.
"His record speaks for itself in cricket.
"There is a certain line that you can kind of go to and then you know where you push it and he just pushes it all the time.
"That's why he has been charged more than anyone that's ever played in the history of cricket."
Hayden was one of the players the Indians accused of provocative behaviour in last Sunday's game at the SCG.
He said the only reason the Indians were whingeing was because they were "losing every game they are playing."
"I called him a bad boy," Hayden insisted.
"He took offence to that and I thought that was quite funny."
The opening batsman also took a light hearted swipe at young Indian quick Ishant Sharma, who was fined 15 per cent of his match fee after an exchange with Andrew Symonds on Sunday.
"He is just young. I have said to him many times, 'You are 19, take it easy'," Hayden said.
"He is 19, why doesn't he just worry about his bowling for a while?
"I like the idea of actually getting into the ring. I like that, let's bring that one on."
Harbhajan returns fire
Harbhajan wasted little time in firing back at Hayden, saying the Australian was disliked by most international opponents and his comments were borne out of the frustration the Australians felt at being pushed by an improving Indian team.
"Maybe they realise that they no longer are the undisputed champions of the world. Maybe, they feel the crown is slipping," Harbhajan told the Indian news agency PTI.
"Otherwise, why would a cricket veteran ask a 19-year-old to join him in a ring?
"I don't want it to be a slanging match ... but you only need to speak to international cricketers and international teams to know in what opinion they hold Hayden."
Story from ABC NEWS
