SYDNEY, March 8: Cricket Australia (CA) has finally abandoned diplomacy and demanded that India discipline Harbhajan Singh for his latest outburst in an increasingly tiresome feud, after the spinner questioned the credibility of Matthew Hayden and the ethics of Adam Gilchrist.

CA chief executive James Sutherland on Friday wrote to BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah expressing exasperation with the controversial spinner. “Enough is enough,” Sutherland wrote.

“Despite assurances that you have instructed him not to fuel this issue any more, Harbhajan continues to say whatever he wants. When will it ever end? Could you please deal with your player in regard to these comments.”

Cricket Australia was quick to deal with Hayden when he called Harbhajan “a little obnoxious weed” in a radio interview, and believes the Indian spinner has not been held to the same standards.

CA previously had refrained from publicly expressing its frustrations about Harbhajan but had held private discussions with the Indian board, and received assurances that its problem child would be counselled.

“We’ve tried over the summer to get the balance right in the way controversial comment has been managed and we certainly, through our actions with Matthew Hayden, been firm with our own players in terms of where the tipping point is,” a CA spokesman said.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...