Aus feel the crown is slipping, reacts Harbhajan

Hayden called Harbhajan an 8216;obnoxious little weed8217; and invited Ishant Sharma 8216;into a ring8217; to sort out issues in an interview to 8216;Brisbane Radio8217; on Tuesday.

He also had a frontal attack on Harbhajan saying, that 8220;his record speaks for itself in cricket, that8217;s why he has been charged more than anyone else who8217;s ever played in the history of cricket.8221;

Harbhajan, who seemed to have read the personal attack by Hayden in entirety, said he preferred to keep himself in control instead of enjoining the matter with the belligerent Aussie opener.

8220;I don8217;t want it to be a slanging match,8221; Harbhajan said adding that he didn8217;t want to open a pandora8217;s box for a lot that the Australians have said this summer would then come tumbling out.

8220;But you only need to speak to international cricketers and international teams to know in what opinion they hold Hayden,8221; he said looking at the broadside as just 8216;one more instance of what our hosts have been up to all this summer8217;.

The visiting Indian team feel all along they have been 8216;provoked8217; by the Australians and a written complaint with the match referee Jeff Crowe after the Sydney game earlier this week was in response to it.

Harbhajan was also surprised at the Australian opener8217;s statement which said that Indians were complaining 8216;because they are losing every game they are playing8217;.

8220;Really, you think so? I would have thought we are the only ones who have got the Australians on the run this summer,8221; he said.

Cricket Australia CA held an emergency meeting in Melbourne on Wednesday morning to discuss if Hayden had breached rules as the board has the authority to stop its contracted player from commenting on television, radio or print if it feels that it is not in good taste about an opposition players or board.

The word from CA on its meeting though is awaited.

Besides Hayden getting embroiled with Harbhajan and Ishant, there was another specific incident of Ricky Ponting having a go at Harbhajan during the game between the two teams in Adelaide on February 17.

Apparently, Ponting kept having a go at Harbhajan in Adelaide, asking him 8216;to show what he had got8217; in the middle.

Harbhajan, on his part, had then cheekily remarked: 8220;Mate, whatever I have shown in the middle has been better than yours8217; in the series so far.8221;

It appeared to have stung the Australian captain who asked Harbhajan to 8216;f8230; off8217; after the latter was dismissed.

A departing Harbhajan, on hearing so, stopped and turned round only to see Ponting disappear among celebrating Aussies.

8220;They do it so well,8221; Harbhajan said grudgingly 8216;they keep the back to you when they have something nasty to say to the opponent8217;.