The Indian spinner, who was at the centre of a racism row involving Andrew Symonds, has borne the brunt of the Australian sledging during the explosive tour which has been marked by a series of verbal exchanges between rival players.
"Its been a bit of a long battle with Harbhajan, the first time I ever met him he was the same little obnoxious weed that he is now", Hayden said on Brisbane radio.
"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 said.
Hayden's fresh salvo came a day after the Indian team management lodged a written complaint with Match Referee Jeff Crowe regarding Australia players' "provocative" behaviour.
Hayden and Harbhajan were involved in an ugly tussle at the SCG on Sunday with the Indians claiming that the Australian opener had termed the Indian a "mad boy."
However, Hayden made light of the incident and claimed India was complaining because "they are losing every game they are playing."
"I called him a bad boy," Hayden insisted.
"He took offence to that, I thought that was quite funny. I said mate you should be flattered, it's a clothing range," Hayden said.
Meanwhile, former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg also lashed out at the Indians.
"Ive really had a gutful of their whinging, this is international sport, obviously people are going to say things to try to unsettle you," Hogg said.
"It's not tiddlywinks. So long as it's not racial they shouldn't have a problem.
"As far as I am concerned if the heat is too hot in the kitchen then that's too bad.
"I reckon they should appoint an Asian referee for Indian games because when it's a non-Asian referee nothing against Jeff Crowe they never feel as if they are being listened to."
Hayden said he had told Ishant Sharma to settle down and on Monday quipped he would like to meet the stringbean paceman in a boxing ring.
"He is just young. I have said to him many times, you are 19, take it easy, Hayden said.
"At the end of the day you are 19, why don't you just worry about your bowling for a while," he added.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Matthew Hayden calling the off-spinner an "obnoxious little weed"
BCCI hits out at Aussies for sledging Indian team
MUMBAI, February 25: The India cricket board on Monday hit out at the Australian cricket team for indulging in sledging and provoking the Indians, saying such behaviour by the hosts was unnecessary and not good for the game. "The way the Australians are behaving is not good (for the game). They should not sledge our team members. It's not necessary," said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah. Shah was reacting to the happenings during the Sydney tri-series tie on Sunday in which Aussie all-rounder Andrew Symonds provoked young Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma for which the latter was docked 15 per cent of his match fees by ICC match referee Jeff Crowe. "They (Aussies) should restrain from such things and not get into another problem", the BCCI official said. But he did not comment on the complaint lodged by Indian manager Vimal Soni about the Aussies' behaviour with the match referee. Shah defended Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his comments after Sunday's loss to Australia wherein the wicketkeeper had asked the senior players to start delivering the goods. "He's the captain and whatever advice he (Dhoni) wants to give (to his teammates) he can give," the BCCI secretary said. Shah also said the World Cup under-19 team which has reached the semi-finals in Kuala Lumpur would be protected from being distracted by franchises eager to recruit them for the April 18-June 1 Indian Premier League. "We don't want any distraction for our cricketers and the board will decide which team they will go to," he said
