"I can see that my comments were insensitive but they were not intended to be denigrating and especially not contrary to the spirit of cricket," Hayden said.

"The cricket environment I have grown up with is probably a little bit different from today," the 37-year-old cricketer was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.

Hayden expressed anguish at being reprimanded by Cricket Australia for his behaviour.

"It saddens me that my employer has to discipline me for my behaviour," Hayden said.

Hayden, in an interview to Brisbane Radio, had called Harbhajan "obnoxious little weed" and also invited young paceman Ishant Sharma "into a ring" for a boxing bout.