Harbhajan Singh has been charged with a Level III offence under the ICC Code of Conduct following his on-field altercation with Andrew Symonds on day three of the second Test in Sydney. The two players came face to face while Harbhajan was batting.
Under the code, Harbhajan has been summoned to a hearing with match referee Mike Procter for "using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethic origin".
The charge was laid by match umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor after the close of play following a complaint they received from Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
If found guilty Harbhajan could face a ban of between two and four Tests or four and eight one-dayers. The hearing is scheduled for after close of play on Saturday.
There are some reports that Harbhajan's remarks were racist in nature but the offspinner denied making such comments. "I haven't done anything -- we were just talking. It wasn't even sledging -- it was just normal talk out on the cricket field. I was concentrating on my batting," he told the Age. "I did not say anything racist. I do not know what is going on. I am here to play well for my country, to bowl well and to win this Test match.